Puri beach festival is a great boost to tourism: Orissa Tourism Minister

Puri, Nov.25 (ANI): Orissa Tourism Minister Debi Prasad Mishra has said the 16th International Annual Puri Beach Festival is a boost to the tourism sector of Orissa and is very popular with foreign artists.

The Annual Puri Beach Festival, showcases cultural events, classical and folk dance performances, sand sculptures, handicrafts, food festivals, rock concerts and fashion shows.

Mishra who inaugurated the five-day-long festival earlier this week, said: "In this festival, over 3,000 artists are participating. This year, a troupe from Austria is also participating here. This festival represents the culture and tradition of our country and also contributes to the tourism economy."

This time organizers have included rowing and beach volleyball, besides handlooms, handicrafts, sand art, gas balloon rides and a kite-flying exhibition in the festival.

"I came here to watch the festival. It is absolutely wonderful night and we have just seen a beautiful performance from India ladies. They were dancing and singing so it was very nice and this is a quality festival. The weather is very nice and the atmosphere is beautiful," said Asokpai, a Hungarian tourist.

Renowned Bollywood singers Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik are scheduled to perform during the last two days of the festival.

The festival concludes on November 27. By Sarada Lahangir (ANI)