In a letter to the Chief Minister (CM) – Eknath Sambhaji Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister – Devendra G. Fadnavis, and Tourism Minister – Mangal Prabhat Lodha, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) praised the government for swiftly approving numerous projects across the State that are anticipated to increase Maharashtra’s tourism potential. A partnership of more than 30 future properties by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), including the Chanakya Centre for Excellence and MICE Centre at Karla near Lonavala, was recently announced by the State.
“HRAWI commends the Government’s initiatives and is upbeat about the potential the new projects will present for the State’s tourist and hospitality industries. The government’s inventive and forward-thinking ideas, along with vigorous marketing initiatives, are poised to spark a boom in domestic and international travel. These soon-to-be constructed locations will definitely captivate tourists from all over the world, so while we work to establish Maharashtra as a top tourist destination, it is crucial that we also build first-rate infrastructure to accommodate the influx of visitors. HRAWI asks the Government to implement special incentives to support the building of more hotels in the State as a complement to the projects already in the works. According to Pradeep Shetty, President of HRAWI, “This will increase tourism by making it feasible for more tourists to access the destinations and also result in generating revenue for the State.”
The HRAWI has recognised the worthwhile recommendations made for the expansion of the Ambhora Temple and the development of a scuba diving facility in Koyna Bamnoli. Many people have praised the beautification initiatives for Sindhudurg’s Gajba Devi Temple and Nagpur’s Sonegaon Lake.
“We are enthusiastic about the planned efforts and projects designed to increase tourism in Maharashtra. Due to the increase in tourism, it will be essential to increase the number of rooms available to accommodate the growing demand. Maharashtra has about 3,40,000 hotel rooms, but with the amount of developments currently in the works, we will need at least twice as many. The hospitality industry will flourish with the help of subsidies for building hotels at certain tourist destinations, incentives for eco-friendly hotels, and electricity subsidies. Furthermore, the creation of jobs in India is significantly aided by the tourist and hospitality industries. The sector generated 79.86 million direct and indirect jobs in 2019–2020, or a considerable 15.34% of all new jobs, according to the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA). Chetan Mehta, Vice President, HRAWI, adds, “With these new projects, we anticipate an even greater boom in employment prospects, benefiting both the sector and the workers.
Source- travel daily
