Odisha Hoteliers Call for Urgent Tourism Infrastructure Push Ahead of 2025 Conclave
Odisha hoteliers urge the government to improve tourism infrastructure and ease approvals, highlighting room shortages and investment challenges ahead of 2025 Conclave.
Munni Khatun 
Bhubaneswar, June 21, 2025: Hotel owners and tourism stakeholders in Odisha are calling on the state government to take swift action to improve hospitality infrastructure, streamline investment approvals, and make Odisha a competitive tourist destination. This appeal comes ahead of the 6th Odisha Tourism Conclave scheduled for June 25, where key policy reforms will be discussed.
According to the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO), the state currently has only 16 classified hotels with a total of 1,055 rooms, despite receiving over 10 million tourists in 2023. Industry leaders argue that this severe mismatch between demand and supply is forcing tourists to look elsewhere, costing the state around ₹9,000 crore annually due to outbound tourism and lack of capacity.
Key Issues Highlighted by Hoteliers:
Complex and delayed approval processes for setting up hotels and resorts
Absence of single-window clearance for tourism projects
Tourism not being included in Special Economic Zone (SEZ) benefits
Lack of training facilities and skilled manpower for hotel operations
The HRAO has urged the state to introduce policy incentives for hotel investors, upgrade public tourism infrastructure, and simplify regulations to help Odisha compete with other fast-growing destinations like Kerala, Rajasthan, and Goa.
“The tourism industry in Odisha has immense potential, but the infrastructure and government support are not keeping pace,” said a senior HRAO member. “We need bold, investor-friendly policies now to unlock growth.”
Stakeholders hope that the 2025 conclave will pave the way for meaningful reforms that attract both domestic and international tourists, while creating employment and boosting the state economy.
