Odisha Tourism has signed three agreements with the State Bank of India, the Archaeological Survey of India and the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association to expand homestays, heritage tourism and adventure tourism across the state, while new coaches and watercraft were launched at Chilika Lake.
The agreements were signed as Odisha observed World Tourism Day 2026, with the state government highlighting digital innovation, sustainable tourism, entrepreneurship and greater participation by local communities. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who holds the tourism portfolio, said tourism should create livelihood and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth, women, artisans and tourism service providers.
Under the agreement with SBI, financial support will be extended to homestays through the Odisha Homestay Scheme. Provisional registration certificates were distributed to 176 beneficiaries during the programme, creating a formal link between community-led accommodation and institutional banking support.
The arrangement is aimed at strengthening a segment of tourism that is operated closer to local communities rather than being led only by large hotels. The tourism department did not disclose in the report the size of the credit support, the eligibility conditions, interest rates or the timeline for disbursal under the SBI partnership.
The department also signed an agreement with the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association to promote adventure tourism in Odisha. Licences and registration certificates were distributed to adventure tour operators as part of efforts to formalise and expand such activities. The report did not specify the locations covered by the agreement or the safety and operating standards that will apply to participating operators.
The third agreement, with the Archaeological Survey of India, is intended to strengthen cooperation for heritage tourism. ASI Director General Yadubir Singh Rawat said preserving and promoting heritage assets was important to the tourism experience. The partnership brings the state tourism department and the national heritage conservation agency into a formal cooperation framework, although specific sites and joint projects were not identified in the announcement.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said coordinated institutional efforts were needed to strengthen Odisha’s tourism ecosystem while ensuring sustainable management of destinations and opportunities for local communities. Parida also called for greater use of technology and emerging digital tools to improve destination discovery, access to tourism services and visitor experience.
The programme included new mobility services for tourists. Odisha Tourism Development Corporation luxury coaches were flagged off, while an electric boat at Barkul and a catamaran operated by Swosti at Chilika Lake were virtually flagged off. Barkul is one of the principal visitor access points to Chilika, and the new watercraft add alternatives for movement and visitor experiences at the state’s major tourism destination.
The announcements bring finance, heritage management, operator registration and visitor mobility into a single tourism programme. Their implementation will depend on the terms of the SBI support, the operation of the newly registered adventure operators, coordination with the ASI and the rollout of the coach and water transport services. The tourism department’s next steps are expected to cover these implementation details as the partnerships move beyond the signing ceremony.
