The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), in a letter addressed to the Chief Minister (CM) – Eknath Sambhaji Shinde,  Deputy Chief Minister – Devendra G. Fadnavis and Tourism Minister – Mangal Prabhat Lodha has hailed the Government for expediting approvals on various projects across the State that are expected to boost the tourism potential in Maharashtra. The State recently announced a collaboration of upcoming 30 plus properties by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), the Water tourism project at Gosekhurd in Bhandara, MICE centre and Chanakya centre for excellence at Karla near Lonavala, among others.

“HRAWI applauds the initiatives taken by the Government and is optimistic about the opportunities the new projects will bring to the tourism and hospitality sector in the State. The Government’s forward-thinking and innovative ideas coupled with proactive promotional efforts, are poised to ignite a tourism boom, both domestically and internationally. These soon to be developed destinations will undoubtedly enthral travellers from around the world and as we embark on making Maharashtra a global tourist destination, it is imperative that we also create top-notch infrastructure to support the tourist inflow. To complement the projects in the pipeline, HRAWI requests the Government for introducing special subsidies to encourage the development of more hotels in the State. This will boost tourism by making it viable for more tourists to access the destinations and also lead to generating revenue for the State,” says Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI.

HRAWI has acknowledged the valuable suggestions put forth for the development of Ambhora Temple, establishment of a Scuba Diving Centre in Koyna Bamnoli. The beautification projects for Sonegaon Lake in Nagpur and Gajba Devi Temple in Sindhudurg too have received much praise.

“We are excited about the upcoming projects and initiatives aimed at boosting tourism in Maharashtra. This boost to tourism will translate to an increasing number of tourists, and it is crucial to enhance the room capacity to meet the rising demand. Maharashtra has around 3,40,000 rooms and with the number of projects in the pipeline, we will require at least double the capacity of hotel rooms. Subsidy for establishing hotels at specified tourist locations, along with incentives for eco-friendly hotels and electricity subsidies, will provide the necessary impetus for the growth of the hospitality sector. Moreover, the tourism and hospitality sector is a major contributor to employment generation in India. According to the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), the sector accounted for 79.86 million direct and indirect jobs which is a significant 15.34 per cent share of employment generation in 2019-2020. With these new projects, we anticipate a further surge in employment opportunities, benefiting both the industry and the workforce,” adds Chetan Mehta, Vice President, HRAWI.

The Association has commended the MTDC for their proactive approach in organizing the Maharashtra Tourism Stakeholder Video Conference on May 26, 2023, which focused on the Expression of Interests for the Operations & Maintenance of the newly constructed resorts at Nawegaon Bandh in Gondia and Chandpur in Bhandara.

“The Tourism Minister’s unwavering dedication and visionary approach in harnessing the tourism potential in Maharashtra have been truly commendable. His tireless efforts to give boost to the tourism industry have paved the way for economic growth of the State. The initiatives taken under his leadership have opened the doors to a vibrant future, where tourists from all corners of the globe will be captivated by the enchanting wonders of Maharashtra, making it a must-visit destination and, the hospitality industry is grateful for his contributions,” concludes Shetty.