Bhubaneswar, Jan 25 (IANS): Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Friday said the Sun Temple at Odisha's Konark will soon be included in the list of iconic tourist sites.

"The people of Odisha will soon receive the good news about Konark being included in the list of iconic sites. We will organise a special event to announce the inclusion very soon," he said while addressing at the concluding ceremony of two-day long National Tourism Conference at Konark.

The Minister also visited the Sun temple and reviewed the necessary preservation plans with the Archeological Survey of India officials.

Last year, there was a huge uproar in Odisha about heritage place Konark not making it to the list of Iconic Sites list by Ministry of Tourism.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had requested the Union Tourism Minister to include at least two tourist places of importance from the state in the list of iconic tourist sites to be developed by the Centre.

On the concluding day of National Tourism Conference, a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) was signed between the Odisha and Gujarat governments for cross promotion of tourist sites in both states as well as across the India.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding mentioning key frameworks and policies will be signed soon after discussions with relevant departments of both the states, said state Tourism director Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav.