The palaces in Odisha will soon turn into homestays for travellers

When the discussion is about Odisha’s homestays, travellers usually look for beachside retreats to relax in. But thanks to a recent initiative by Odisha’s tourism department, the palaces in Odisha will soon turn into homestays in Odisha. Turning the heritage palaces of Odisha into homestays comes across as a good news especially for those travellers who are keen to explore the history of the destinations they visit, and have often dreamt of staying in grand palaces and heritage properties of the country just the way the erstwhile royalty did.
The first phase of the programme has been titled Heritage Palace Tourism, and the state’s tourism department have already prepared plans to renovate the Nilagiri, Aul and Dhenkanal palaces on the lines similar to that of the City Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Odisha’s State Tourism Secretary Mona Sharma has pointed out that the state is already home to a lot of princely palaces and hence any initiative for them will be helpful for the tourism sector.
What makes this initiative even more interesting is the fact that Odisha’s tourism department is not only considering the palaces but also taking the state’s ancient buildings into the fold. This will prove to be a treat for every heritage loving traveller as they would be able to experience and learn more closely about the historical ways of living.

Commenting on this initiative taken by Odisha’s state tourism department, Amar Jyoti Singh Deo, the prince of Dhenkanal, said, “It was open for all from ancient times but then people used to come with their problems. In the new era, people will come to enjoy here.”

A member of Aul’s royal family and BJD MP, Pratap Keshari Deb, also said, “Foreign tourists are interested in staying in heritage buildings. We have been implementing it in-house for the past 10 to 12 years, with nearly 30 to 40 tourists arriving each year. The numbers will increase after the government’s approval and it will be helpful in maintaining heritage properties.”