BHUBANESWAR: The border tension between India and China is likely to cast a shadow on the state's tourism, apprehend hoteliers and tour operators. The number of tourists visiting Odisha from China is the second highest among east Asian countries after Japan.

"We receive a lot of Buddhist tourists from China every year. Though we have not faced any cancellations in bookings so far, we apprehend poor flow of Chinese tourists to the state if the border tension between the two nations escalates," said Benjamin Simon, a city-based tour operator. "We notice demonstrations by voluntary organisations, demanding a ban on China products, in the backdrop of the border tension. This is not a good signal for tourism," said secretary of Odisha tour operators association Yugabrata Kar.

Puri, the most sought after destination by foreign tourists, does not have a single Chinese visitor as of now, sources in the district intelligence bureau at SP office informed. "We mostly deal with tourists from East Asian countries. Though we have some tourists from Japan and Korea in Puri now, no Chinese tourist has arrived so far. We do not have any bookings of Chinese tourists for the next one month. Their footfall is likely to drop in view of the border standoff between the two countries," said Srimanta Kumar Dash, MD of Hotel Santana in Puri.

Altogether 14,619 tourists from China visited the state between 2013 and 2016, official statistics of the tourism department said. In 2017, around 1,600 Chinese tourists toured the state till June. Tourism department said situation will worsen if there are restrictions on tourist visa. "As of now there is no problem for Chinese tourists to visit. We have not received any advisory from the Centre. All tourists can have a safe visit to the state," said tourism deputy director Utpal Kumar Pati. Police said the situation is not hostile for foreign tourists in the state. "As of now, we have not received any input from the Centre about any threat to Chinese nationals. Safety and security of all tourists will be ensured by us in each district," said a senior police officer.

In June last year, the state government served quit India notice on eight Chinese nationals for overstaying in Bhadrak district. The Chinese nationals were on business visa and worked in a company engaged in the expansion of a port in Bhadrak, which is located a few kilometres away from defence-sensitive APJ Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island) from where India test-fires its missiles.

