Bhubaneswar, Nov 12 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday launched the logo and bookings for the Odisha Tourism's flagship three-month glamping festival-Eco Retreat.

The glamping festival will be held this year at five locations - Konark, Hirakud, Bhitarkanika, Daringbadi and Satkosia - from December 8 to February 28 next year.

A year back, the first Eco Retreat festival was held at Marine Drive at Konark.

In his address, Patnaik said that last year, a benchmark was set in luxury glamping with a phenomenal success at the Marine Drive Eco Retreat at Konark.

The Eco retreats will offer tourists an excellent opportunity to discover Odisha's diverse tourism offerings, in style, he said, adding that all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector across the state have been provided training on Covid-19 protocols.

Consistent with Odisha's stellar management of COVID-19 pandemic, the Eco Retreats will be in complete compliance with guidelines and standard operating procedures prescribed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, he further added.

He urged upon the respective district administrations to take ownership of the execution of the Eco Retreats.

Raising hope for the pandemic affected tourism and hospitality sector, he expressed confidence that the Eco Retreats will provide the much needed fillip to Odisha Tourism and help it revive during this difficult time.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said that the Eco Retreat model ticks the right boxes in terms of environmental sustainability, technological leverage, teamwork, timeliness in near-perfect compliance with the good governance framework of 5TA and will be transformative for each location's tourism-oriented future.