Maharashtra has significant tourism potential due to its cultural and natural attractions. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) was established in 1975 to promote tourism in the state. MTDC operates various tourism projects and properties. It aims to accelerate tourism development by acquiring and developing tourist destinations, aiding cultural activities, and identifying new destinations. MTDC also focuses on developing infrastructure to improve connectivity to tourist sites and promote tourism through campaigns. Future plans include strengthening tourism infrastructure, promoting niche tourism segments, and developing human resources in the tourism industry.

1. Maharashtra tourism
 Directorate of Tourism established in 1969
 To plan and speed up the process of Tourism
development- Maharashtra Tourism Development
Corporation established in 1975
 Share of Maharashtra- 38% (2.65 million) in
foreign arrivals, share in domestic arrivals is 5%
(29 million), estimates show that it will be only
6% by 2020 (on 5%growth per annum).
 Potential- rock cut caves, beaches, hill stations,
forests and wildlife, temples, lakes and rivers,
forts, festivals and the most important Bollywood

2. Maharashtra Tourism Development
Corporation
 Organization structure
Board of Directors
 Managing Director
 Joint Managing Director
 General Manager
 Dy GM Sr Managers Managers
 Regional offices at Aurangabad, Pune, Nagpur, Nasik, Ratnagiri and
sindhudurg
 Aims and objectives
 Accelerate the pace of development of tourism
 To acquire assets from GOM and run the same with a view to promote and
develop tourism in the state
 To acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise, maintain and develop all places
of tourist interest
 To aid, assist, counsel, protect and accelerate cultural activities in all the
fields including cinema, dramatics, tamasha, music dance and other
performing arts
 To identify and develop new tourist destinations

3. Activities of MTDC
 Resort operations
 Deccan Odessey
 Vidarbha queen
 Ajanta-Ellora development project
 Adventure sports
 Speed boats/ House boats
 Bed and Breakfast Scheme
 Project implementation- CFA/ Regional Tourism
 Publicity
 Festivals
 Hotel management and catering college

4. Deccan Odyssey
 Aim- to promote important destinations in
the state at international level
 Capital exp. 32.88 Cr (Railways-14cr, GOI-
8.49cr and GOM-10.39cr)
 Route- Mumbai-Sindhudurga-Goa-
Kolhapur-Aurangabad-Tadoba-Sevagram-
Ajanta-Nasik-Mumbai
 For the initial period of 2004-2008,
revenue sharing on equal basis between
railways and MTDC was in existence,
October 2008 onwards railways imposed
haulage charge (45-52 lacs per tour)

5. Sr no.
Tours,
October
to April
Total
tours
Tourists on
board
Total
income
(in lacs)
Total
expenditure
(in lacs) PBDT Depreciation
1 2004-05 25 406 265.09 352.37 -87.28 -112.83
2 2005-06 25 612 499.26 518 -18.74 -113.54
3 2006-07 25 813 675.31 608.77 66.54 -110.51
4 2007-08 28 1069 873.26 754.96 118.29 -105
5 2008-09 28 649 802.14 1004.16 -202.02 -100.50
6 2009-10 24 1024 648.66 535.36 113.90 90.00
Total 4002 3431.97 3583.4 -155.03 -542.38
Accumulat
ed loss till
2009-10 -674.12
Deccan Odyssey Progress

6. Future of Deccan Odyssey
 Exorbitant Haulage charges per Km
 Recession and terrorist attack of
26/11
 Non co-operation from railways
 Requests from GOM- no response
 BOD approved chartering to private
operator on Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai
 Chartering only to reduce losses
 Short tours of 3-4 days in the state

7. Bed and Breakfast scheme
 Scheme started in 1997 to involve locals and to
generate employment through tourism
development
 Under this houses with 2-5 rooms are registered
with MTDC
 Total 600 houses are registered in the state, most
of them are in konkan region
 Problems- they are forced to obtain commercial
NA permission, luxury tax and VAT, commercial
rate for electricity and license under prevention of
food adulteration act.
 Slow progress is mainly due to abovementioned
problems

8. Adventure/water sports
 Snorkeling- commercial operations since
2007
 Scuba Diving- construction in progress,
trained local youths, operational use
during 2011.
 High speed Boats- at Tarkarli being used
for Dolphin watch
 Feasilibilty study undertaken for Sea world
project in konkan area by STP, Pune
 Water sports activities at lake sites- karla,
katraj, khindsi, panshet, New Mumbai and
Girgaum chowpatty

9. Regional tourism development
scheme
 Aim- to develop tourist places in
various districts in planned and
phased manner
 Funds allocation in last 5 years (Rs Lacs)
 2006-07- 21.52 crs
 2007-08- 30.98 crs
 2008-09- 73.21 crs
 2009-10- 84.50 crs
 2010-11- 52.00 crs
Maharashtra tourism is promoted by MTDC on
behalf of GOM.

10. Tourism potential in the state
 Forts-
 350 forts across the state, Raigad, Sindhudurga, Murud janjira,
Sinhagad, Pratapgad, Panhala, Shivneri etc
 Heritage monuments-
 Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, Lonar
 Coastal-
 720 km coastline, untouched beaches, creeks
 Hill stations-
 eco friendly Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, khandala, Jawhar,
chikhaldara, Toranmal
 Wildlife and Adventure Trail-
 Tadoba Tiger sanctuary, Chandrapur
 Pench National park-key tiger reserve, Nagpur
 Melghat and Chikhaldara Tiger sanctuary, Amaravati
 Dajipur for Bison in Kolhapur
 Karnala bird sanctuary in Raigad

11. Tourism potential in the state
 Medical-
 large number of hospitals in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nasik,
Aurangabad
 Cruises-
 Mumbai is an important port for international cruise liners
 Pilgrimage-
 Shirdi, Trimbakeshwar, Ashtavinayak, Shani Shinganapur,
Nanded Gurudwara, church of infant christ in Nasik
 Rural-
 well developed agriculture, rural infrastructure
 Cultural-
 Ganpati, Dahi Handi and Navratra, Holi

12. Future plans
 Positioning of Maharashtra, Brand Image
 Development of tourist destinations as a planned strategy
 Infrastructure development along coastline
 Wayside amenities, information kiosks
 Tourism Signages across the state
 Involvement of local travel and tourism industries and other
stakeholders
 Sensitization of local people about importance of tourism for
economic development
 Promotion of Maharashtra as a destination
 Improvement in water transport facilities
 Creation of necessary infrastructure for Backwater development
 Strengthening of Bed and Breakfast scheme
 Bollywood tourism
 Jungle safaris
 Publicity of important events and festivals at national and
international level

13. Infrastructure development
 Strengthening of roads to tourist
places (5% of PWD budget
allocation)
 Beach facilities, safety and up keep
 Wayside amenities and information
kiosks on national and state
highways
 Tourism signages across the State

14. Water Transport
 Development of Marina near Nariman
point, New Mumbai, Mandwa
 Passenger cruise terminal in Mumbai

15. Land policy
 Create land bank in major tourist
places
 Acquisition of land under MIDC act as
tourism is declared as ‘industry’
 Provide all infrastructure in these
areas to facilitate private investment
in tourism

16. House Boat Policy
 State has serene backwaters on
Konkan coast
 House Boat Policy to promote
backwater tourism by providing
capital subsidy

17. Promotion of heritage and culture
 Fort circuit development
 Organize Maharashtra festivals in
major Indian cities
 Promote Ganesh, Govinda, Navratri
and holi festivals on large scale
 Art and craft development through
training and design support

18. Promotion of Eco-tourism
 Create mechanism in consultation
with forest department for eco
tourism
 Start Jungle safaris
 Trekkers paradise- Sahyadri ranges
 Promotion of Agro and Rural Tourism

19. Medical tourism
 Large number of hospitals with world
class facilities exists in Mumbai,
Pune, Aurangabad, Nasik and Nagpur
 Potential to attract Middle East,
European and American citizens
 Ayurveda and yoga centers
 Formulate mechanism to work
closely with private hospitals

20. Package tours
 Presently very few package tours
available in Maharashtra
 Tourists need such tours
 Incentives for travel and tour
operators for initial period of 5 years
 Benefits such as exemption from
passenger tax, entry fee and toll tax

21. Bollywood tourism
 Vibrant film industry in Mumbai
 Great potential to attract domestic as
well as foreign tourists
 Mock shooting to view and
experience live film shoots
 Mumbai film (Bollywood) museum

22. Shack Policy
 Temporary sit-outs on identified
beaches
 Policy formulation
- Licenses to locals to put up and
operate shacks

23. Human resource development
 Creation of large scale employment
opportunities
 Training of unskilled manpower
through Hunnar se Rojgar scheme
 Increase in intake of hospitality
education in Govt and private
institutions
 Training of various service providers
in tourism industry