MUMBAI: Maharashtra has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transform itself into a global tourism destination, targeting ₹1 lakh crore in private investment and creation of 18 lakh jobs by 2034, while shifting the focus beyond Mumbai, Pune and the Ajanta-Ellora circuit to promote year-round travel across the state.The tourism department plans to develop integrated circuits covering heritage forts linked to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Buddhist and spiritual destinations, wildlife parks, Konkan’s coastline, wine tourism in Nashik and rural tourism. The strategy aligns with the state’s Vikasit Maharashtra vision and aims to significantly increase domestic and international tourist arrivals.Additional Chief Secretary for Tourism Sanjay Khandare said major flagship projects include India’s first underwater naval museum and artificial reef using the decommissioned INS Guldar off Sindhudurg, expansion of scuba diving facilities at Tarkarli, development of cruise and yacht tourism along Maharashtra’s 878-km coastline, immersive AR/VR experiences at heritage sites, and a dedicated MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Convention Bureau to attract business tourism.With the 2027 Nashik Kumbh Mela expected to draw millions of pilgrims, the government is accelerating investments in roads, riverfronts, accommodation, sanitation, signage and digital crowd management systems. Khandare said the infrastructure created for the Kumbh will be retained to position Nashik and Trimbakeshwar as year-round destinations combining pilgrimage, wine tourism and heritage.To attract longer visitor stays, Maharashtra will intensify digital campaigns, destination branding and story-driven marketing highlighting forts, festivals, cuisine, local traditions and coastal experiences, he added. It has also planned investment promotion offices in Mumbai, Dubai and Singapore while encouraging public-private partnerships in hotels, eco-tourism, ropeways, adventure tourism and convention infrastructure.The state is also preparing standard operating procedures and safety audits for adventure tourism, promoting homestays and women-led tourism enterprises, and introducing the Mahatithi digital platform to integrate tourism stakeholders and generate real-time visitor analytics for policy planning, he added.Officials said the long-term objective is to position Maharashtra as a premium, experience-driven destination by combining world-class heritage, spirituality, wildlife, beaches, urban culture and business tourism with improved infrastructure and higher-quality visitor experiences.
