7th Odisha Travel Bazaar to host 200+ buyers and facilitate 6,000+ B2B meetings

Bhubaneswar, 01 October (H.S.): Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Thursday announced the seventh edition of the Odisha Travel Bazaar (OTB) 2026, scheduled to be held from October 3 to 5 at Mayfair Sanctuary in Bhubaneswar.

The announcement was made at a pre-event press conference at Mayfair Lagoon. Organised by the Department of Tourism in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the three-day B2B event will bring together more than 92 private company exhibitors, foreign tour operators from 27 countries and domestic buyers from 32 cities. More than 6,000 pre-scheduled business meetings are expected to take place during the event.

Addressing the media, Parida said Odisha was pursuing an ambitious strategy aimed at ensuring that the benefits generated through tourism reach local communities and small businesses across the state.

“Our tagline is ‘Think India, Think Odisha.’ If anyone in the world wishes to invest in India or explore India, they must think of Odisha first. Through our progressive policies in adventure tourism, homestays and hospitality, Odisha is advancing on a war footing to drive the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision,” she said.

The Deputy Chief Minister stressed that the economic benefits of the sector should not remain limited to hotels and resorts but should extend to communities and small enterprises. She also highlighted the importance of creating memorable visitor experiences rooted in Odisha’s culture, traditions and local communities.

Parida invited media representatives and international stakeholders to showcase Odisha’s cultural heritage and living traditions, particularly those of rural Odisha, to audiences across the world.

As part of OTB 2026, eight pre- and post-event Familiarisation (FAM) Tours will be organised to different destinations across Odisha. Participants will get first-hand exposure to the state’s heritage and spiritual sites, wildlife and natural landscapes, tribal traditions, coastal attractions and experiential offerings.

A key feature of the event will be an experience-sharing session by celebrity chef Ranveer Brar, highlighting Odisha’s culinary heritage and its potential to attract visitors through food and local cuisine.

The event will also provide participating buyers and businesses an opportunity to establish commercial partnerships through the scheduled B2B meetings.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Department of Tourism, Balwant Singh; Director of Tourism Deepankar Mohapatra; HRAO Secretary General Dhiman Majumdar; TAAO Secretary Alok Moharana; IATO Odisha Chapter Chairman Gagan Sarangi; EKTTA President Debasish Mishra; and OTOA Secretary Yugabrata Kar were present at the press conference.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda