Odia hotelier eyes Odisha market after Maldives success

BHUBANESWAR: After creating a large portfolio of luxury resorts in Maldives, Odisha-born hotelier Salil Panigrahi has now set his eyes on the Odisha market.

Founder and managing director of ‘Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts’, a fast-growing hospitality company which is currently operating eight resorts within Maldives, and is set to further expand in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan, Panigrahi said his company has already signed 15 luxury hotel management agreements for its India operation of which, properties in Bhopal, Coorg and Kolkata will be opened this year.

Panigrahi is waiting for the state government’s nod to go ahead. “Since there is an enhanced confidence in Odisha’s tourism and hospitality industry, our company has decided to set up resorts in the four locations – Bhubaneswar, Chilika, Konark and Koraput. We have submitted our proposals to the government,” said the hotelier who is an alumnus of BJB College.