Bhubaneswar: The state government will make sanitation and cleanliness measures a priority in tourist spots.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the State Tourism Advisory Council, presided over by chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here on Thursday.

Padhi directed the officials to identify 20 of the state's most popular tourist spots in the first phase for this drive and gradually take up other spots in later phases.

The council was informed that the tourist arrival in Odisha had reached an all-time high in 2017 with around 141.11 lakh visitors.

In view of the launch of international flights from Bhubaneswar and increased tourist inflow to the state, the meeting deliberated on attracting more investments to the hotel industry. Strategies for attracting international chain hotels were discussed at the meeting. Padhi directed the officials to identify sites in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Daringibadi, Korapur, Rayagada and other tourist destinations of the state for allotment to the hoteliers.

It was also decided to organise road shows in the 10 countries from where the most tourists come to Odisha. The meeting also decided to start the e-visa facility at Biju Pattnaik International Airport here.

Tourism secretary Mona Sharma said because of several tourism promotion initiatives, the total tourist arrival in the state during 2017 has reached an all-time high -around 9.23 per cent more than the previous year. The arrival of foreign tourists has gone up to one lakh, a 31 per cent growth. USA, UK, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, China, Netherlands, Australia and Commonwealth of Independent States are the countries from where more tourists have come to Odisha during 2017.

The arrival of domestic tourists has also gone up by 9 per cent. More domestic tourists have come from states such as Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Uttarakhand.

The measures already initiated for tourism promotion were discussed at the meeting. Around 30 ecotourism spots have been developed. Taking photography in tribal museum has also been allowed. The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation has developed seven promotional films about the state tourism that are being widely displayed and appreciated both in the country and abroad.