States need better coordination for safe tourism: Sahay

Bhubaneswar: Advocating a mechanism of inter-state coordination among Maoist-hit states to ensure safe tourism, Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay today ruled out any adverse impact of Odisha hostage crisis on the flow of foreign visitors to the country.Maintaining that safety of the abducted Italian nationals was the "top priority" of the Centre, Sahay said the two foreigners were abducted from a forested place and not from any traditional tourist spot.[caption id="attachment_250678" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay. Image courtesy PIB"][/caption] "No abduction is made from any tourist destination. Therefore, how can one conclude that tourist spots are unsafe," the Union minister said adding that he would take up the matter with the state government. Terming the crisis as a very sensitive issue, Sahay claimed that the incident had nothing to do with tourism sector. "On the other hand, it is a matter of extremism," he told reporters during a visit to Bhubaneswar. "One of the two abducted Italian nationals has been staying in sea-side Puri town for a long time. So, only one tourist was involved in the incident," he said. "Though the incident had no impact on tourism, the state governments of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal should set up a mechanism for better coordination among themselves for promoting safe tourism in the states," Sahay said. PTI