The Buddhist tourism potential of Orissa seems to have impressed China. The Chinese ambassador to India, Zhang Yan, is scheduled to hold discussion with the officials of state-run Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) here on Friday to explore the possibility of developing tourism ties between India and China.

Zhang reached Bhubaneswar on Thursday and inaugurated a 'pictorial exhibition' at Jayadev Bhavan. The photographs depicted the art, culture and tradition of China. The exhibition was jointly organized by the OTDC and Delhi-based voluntary organization, Friends of China Society in India (FCSI).

"The Chinese ambassador to India will discuss the strengthening of tourism link between the two countries. It will certainly boost Buddhist tourism in the state," said OTDC chairman Jyotiskar Mohapatra.

Though lakhs of Chinese tourists visit India every year, not many of them are taking the Orissa route. Sources said 1,290 tourists from China visited Orissa in 2007. The footfall stood at 2,143 and 3,093 in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

"We will take the Chinese ambassador and his delegates to various Buddhist sites in the state and chalk out a strategy for the future course of action," Mohapatra said.

"Even though thousands of tourists from South Korea and other Southeast Asian countries like Japan and China visit Bodh Gaya in Bihar every year, we experience very poor inflow of those tourists. We have a number of interesting Buddhist sites like Lalitagiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri in the state to attract more tourists from those countries," Mohapatra said.

Earlier this year, OTDC joined hands with Jeollanam-do, a province in the Southwest of South Korea to develop Buddhist tourism links between India and South Korea.

Tour and travel professionals, however, find little meaning in such collaborations with foreign countries. "The state government is doing nothing to promote the state's enchanting sites abroad. Introduction of international flights is also the need of the hour," a tour operator said.

TOI