New Delhi, Dec 17 (KNN) Minister for Tourism, Environment, Protocol, Aditya Thackeray on Thursday said that Maharashtra said that the region would see a major boost in tourism in the post-COVID era.

Addressing an interactive session with FICCI Tourism Committee, Thackeray said that tourism can be revived with a two-way approach, one to promote the destination and another by creating a destination and establishing a local industry around it.

He further said that the Maharashtra Government and the department is working on ecotourism aided by sustainable goals, adding “We have to divide the tourism experience into formal and informal experience.''

To encourage the tourist vibe, it is important to keep the tourists engaged, which needs larger connectivity. “We have funds allocated but it needs to be used wisely,” said the minister.

Thackeray said in terms of tourism and hospitality, a major boost has been given to the sector in the past month.

The Maharashtra government has rejuvenated the state’s tourism sector with a focus on local heritage, culture, and history. “We have everything in Maharashtra,” he said.

The Sahyadri, white beaches and the state’s tiger sanctuary continues to attract wildlife lovers and the growing number of visitors also highlights the eco-tourism potential.

Elaborating on the government's future initiatives he said, it is important to narrate the history of Maharashtra to the tourists through its valuable heritage. “Historical monuments like the BMC building, the High Court and Wankhede Stadium will be open for day tourists,” he said.

“I firmly believe that the travel-tourism-hospitality sector will generate major revenue and employment opportunities in the post-Covid-19 world,” said Thackeray.

Valsa Nair Singh, Principal Secretary, Enquiry Officer, GAD, Civil Aviation & Excise and Tourism & Cultural Affairs (Additional Charge), Government of Maharashtra said that since the COVID-19 pandemic the hospitality and tourism industry has been working very closely with the government of Maharashtra.

She further mentioned that the Government of Maharashtra is taking concrete steps to boost infrastructure development and ease of doing business by reducing the number of licenses required from seventy to ten and soon this will be reduced to only one license.

“Infrastructure status has been granted to the hospitality industry effective from 2021 to further boost this segment and seven MTDC properties in key tourist destinations will soon be available for private investment,” she said.

The state, she said, is also working on separate policies for development of Agro tourism, horticulture tourism, adventure tourism, caravan tourism, beach shacks and vacation homes. She further stated that cricket tourism and Bollywood tourism are also being developed as part of experiential tourism and the department is also working on a mobile app that will be handy for all tourists visiting the state.

“Maharashtra will be the gateway of Indian tourism soon,” said Singh.