The Centres thrust on tourism is bound to be good news for Odisha, given the rich heritage, culture and diversity it offers. On Wednesday, with finance ministerNirmala Sitharamanannouncing the promotion of 50 tourist destinations across the country, the tourism industry is hoping the state would reap rewards.

As government is planning 50 additional , we request Puri to be developed as a major international airport in eastern India, said J K Mohanty, chairman of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO). Eastern sector in India has not been promoted as much as the southern, northern and western sectors which have more international airports and domestic connectivity in terms of both flights and railways, he added.