The Government of Maharashtra has taken a number of initiatives to establish the state as a major tourism hub. Tourism is emerging as a good contributor to the state’s economy. “We are working with a vision to utilise the unbounded potential of Maharashtra and position the state on the world map as the most preferred destination for tourists by showcasing the diverse set of attractions and experiences that the state has to offer,” Dr. Dhanajay Sawalkar, Joint Director, Directorate of Tourism, Govt. of Maharashtra, said during a PATA webinar.
Sawalkar informed that Maharashtra recently accorded industry status to the hospitality sector. The state is promoting agro-tourism and 400+ farmers already registered to promote to offer agricultural/farm experiences to tourists. “We also launched the adventure tourism policy under which 150+ adventure units are registered. We have come up with the Caravan Tourism Policy where we are providing vehicle tax exemption and we have around 12 operational caravans in the state,” Sawalkar informed.
Replying to a question over the upcoming plans and projects to boost tourism in the state, Sawalkar said that the tourism board is focused now to promote hospitality in the rural and urban areas. “The board has offered land for Taj Hotel in Shiroda. Samruddhi Highway has been constructed that is going to become operational from 15th August connecting 24 districts to enhance the connectivity. Mumbai Trans Harbor Link Road which is a 16-kms bridge and the 2nd longest bridge on sea that connects Mumbai to Raigad and the rest of Konkan is now 80% completed and will be inaugurated by 2023,” he informed and informed that the state is planning to inaugurate the International Cruise Terminal building by 2023 that would make Mumbai the hub of cruise tourism. The first phase of Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to get operational by end of 2023, he added.
Divulging more details, he said that the government is also planning the Ekvira ropeway project and the first glass skywalk at Chikhaldara in Amravati. “We are also coming up with the Tour Operator Accreditation Policy (TOAP) to strengthen the conditions of the local operators. We are looking forward to conducting roadshows, FAM trips, and participation in the top travel and trade exhibitions,” he added.
When asked about the plans and projections to uplift the film tourism sector, Sawalkar said: “We have a separate film city corporation who takes care of the improvements of the sector, and we have a land of 500 acres in Aarey Colony where we are trying to construct a studio to attract both domestic and foreign visitors towards our film culture as well. We are also implementing an influencer marketing program to promote travel, travel, and film towards the vast audience.”
Talking about the connectivity and accessibility, he mentioned that Maharashtra is amongst the most well-connected states in India, with 18 highways: 2 main ports, 14 airports including 3 international airports. Maharashtra also boasts of being the state with the highest number of registrations on the NIDHI portal, referring to a number of 4,700 registered accommodation units.
As per India Tourism Statistics 2020, Maharashtra saw around 39 million domestic tourist visits and approx 1 million foreign tourist visits in the state. Later, statistics reported 43 million domestic tourist visits in 2021. The share of employment generation directly associated with the hospitality sector stands at 5 million.
By Kuhelika Roy Choudhury
