Odisha increases its emphasis on tourism driven by conservation.
Odisha hosts the 6th National Chilika Bird Festival in 2026. With the participation of foreign tour operators and birding experts from important source markets, this year’s festival also represents increased international engagement.
The 6th National Chilika Bird Festival 2026 was officially opened at the State Convention Hall, Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, by the Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha, in partnership with the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Department.
The event is expected to bolster Odisha’s leadership in advancing sustainable destination development, community involvement, and tourism driven by conservation. Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Tourism, Women & Child Development, and Mission Shakti, Government of Odisha, served as the Chief Guest during the opening ceremony. MLAs, top government officials, ornithologists, conservation specialists, travel industry representatives, community leaders, and delegates from both India and beyond attended the event.
The Deputy Chief Minister emphasised in her speech the ecological and cultural value of Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia and a Ramsar wetland of global significance. She underlined that the National Chilika Bird Festival has become a vital forum for promoting responsible tourism, scientific knowledge sharing, and conservation awareness.
In addition to showcasing Odisha’s strong model of community-led conservation, especially at Mangalajodi, which is internationally recognised for its successful community managed birding initiative, the festival seeks to bring together experts, ornithologists, wildlife photographers, students, and nature lovers.
With the participation of foreign tour operators and birding specialists from important source markets like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, England, the Netherlands, and Taiwan, this year’s festival also represents increased international engagement, enhancing Chilika’s standing on the world map of ecotourism and birding.
The launch of the Chilika Boat Race, which is run by the fishermen’s community and honours the lake’s living cultural traditions while reaffirming the local communities’ responsibility as ecological stewards, is reportedly one of the festival’s main highlights.
In order to improve long-term conservation stewardship, the festival also included educational programs for schoolchildren from the Chilika region and targeted capacity-building and awareness seminars for boatmen.
A pocket guide based on observations of approximately 150 million birds, a magazine on flamingo life, a booklet on bird conservation in Odisha, videos on Chilika Lake and satellite telemetry of Greater Flamingos, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the State Wildlife Organisation and the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management were among the publications released during the inaugural program. The MoU intends to support the state’s ecotourism product development, marketing, and planning. Employees of the Chilika Wildlife Division and members of Mangalajodi boat groups received awards for their conservation efforts.
Balwant Singh, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Tourism Department, gave an overview of the department’s major projects and emphasised Chilika Lake’s enormous potential as a top ecotourism destination. PCCF & HoFF Suresh Pant underlined the importance of Chilika in maintaining the livelihoods of local residents and its vital role in Odisha’s wildlife wealth.
