LEAD NEWS : PRINCIPAL SECRETARY TOURISM HOLDS HIGH LEVEL PREPAREDNESS MEETING OF MAHARASHTRA VISION 2047 DOCUMENT

By DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY

MUMBAI | 22 JUNE 2025

Few days ago, in connection with the preparation of the Maharashtra Vision 2047 document, a meeting was held in Mumbai  under the chairmanship of Dr. Atul Patne (IAS), Principal Secretary, Tourism, and in the presence of Dr. B.N. Patil (IAS), Director, Directorate of Tourism and Mr. Manojkumar Suryavanshi (IAS), Managing Director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) , along with various other stakeholders from the tourism sector.

The purpose of the meeting was to define the short-, medium-, and long-term objectives for Maharashtra Vision 2047.

Suggestions for the Vision Document, focusing on increasing private investment, generating employment, and positioning the state as a leading sustainable tourism destination, were also discussed in the meeting.

Key recommendations included promoting tour operators, MICE, and destination wedding planners, attracting international tourists through advanced infrastructure; and achieving holistic tourism development by incorporating advanced technologies and services.

The Maharashtra Vision Document 2047, with a focus on transforming Maharashtra into a $1 trillion economy by 2027, aims to achieve this through various initiatives and strategic plans. A key component of this vision is the development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) into a $300 billion economy by 2030, under the Growth Hub Programme. The overall goal is to propel Maharashtra to a $3.5 trillion economy by 2047.

Department of Tourism’s Vision – Aligned Initiatives Position Maharashtra as the foremost tourism destination in India and Asia, leveraging its rich cultural, natural, and spiritual assets to create immersive, inclusive, and sustainable travel experiences. By 2047, Maharashtra will emerge as India’s soft power epicentre and global tourism gateway – “Sahyadri pasun Samudra paryant”.

The Department of Tourism has proactively aligned its initiatives with the Viksit Maharashtra 2047 mission through Maharashtra Tourism Policy 2024 and adopting the strategic development pillars laid out by the Government of Maharashtra. These pillars are instrumental in building an inclusive, resilient, and world-class tourism ecosystem.

Objectives:

• Estimated new private investment in the tourism sector: INR 100,000 crore,
• Creating approximately 18,00,000 jobs (direct and indirect) by bringing technical expertise,
• Increasing tourist spending by providing world-class infrastructure and quality services through private sector participation,
• Extending visitor stays at destinations and boosting repeat visits from both domestic and international travellers.

Strategic Pillars:

• Thematic Destination Development
• Spiritual and Pilgrimage Tourism
• MICE Tourism
• Eco and Wildlife Tourism
• Heritage and Fort Tourism
• Rural and Experiential Tourism
• Digital Enablement and Infrastructure.

These pillars serve as the foundation for Maharashtra’s transformational journey to becoming a premier global tourism destination by 2047.

It has planned a 1)Short Term ( 2025-2029) – Vision for 2 October 2029, 2) Medium Term (2029-2035)- Vision for 1 May 2035 ( Maharashtra @75), 3) Long Term ( 2035-2047) – Vision for 15 August 2047 ( Bharat @100).