Latest news with #MaharashtraTourismFestival
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
New Mahabaleshwar project to create employment opportunities: Fadnavis
The new Mahabaleshwar hill station is set to boost tourism and create fresh job opportunities in Satara district, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday during the closing ceremony of the Maharashtra Tourism Festival. 'After the British era, this will be the first time a new hill station is being developed. Tourism has immense potential for job creation, and we believe the new Mahabaleshwar hill station will significantly contribute to local employment,' said Fadnavis. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), under the state's tourism department, organised the three-day Maharashtra Tourism Festival from May 2 to 4 in Mahabaleshwar with the aim of promoting tourism. According to authorities, the event drew over 75,000 visitors in three days. The festival featured a variety of cultural, adventure, and recreational activities including performances by renowned artists, with celebrated flautist Amar Oak's Morning Raag enchanting both tourists and locals. Other highlights included an exhibition of forts and vintage ammunition, food festivals, adventure sports, children's workshops, helicopter rides, drone shows, yoga sessions, flea markets, and a floating market at Venna Lake. A 'tent city' set up in Mahabaleshwar proved especially popular among tourists, many of whom compared the experience to the Rann of Kutch festival. Fadnavis also pointed out Maharashtra's diverse tourist offerings. 'With a 720-km-long coastline, seven tiger reserves, numerous protected forests, many forts, and several other attractions, Maharashtra has immense tourism potential. While the state currently ranks fifth in the national tourism index, our aim is to reach the top spot within the next five years. For this, coordinated efforts will be made,' he said. Shambhuraj Desai, tourism minister, said this was the first time such a large-scale tourism festival was held in western Maharashtra. 'Given the overwhelming response from tourists and the support from local residents, we plan to make this an annual event. The festival will also be extended to other divisions of the state,' he added.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Time of India
Maharashtra will become No. 1 in tourism in next five years: CM Fadnavis at Mahabaleshwar event
1 2 3 4 Kolhapur: Sunday marked the last day of the three-day Maharashtra tourism festival in Mahabaleshwar. At the festival's concluding ceremony, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "An annual tourism calendar or schedule should be prepared by the tourism department. Colourful festivals held in different parts of the state throughout the year should be included in this schedule. Along with this, a workshop should be conducted for tour operators from the country to enlighten them about the tourism facilities here." Organised by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation at Mahabaleshwar, on the last day of the festival, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chairman of Legislative Council Prof Ram Shinde, tourism minister Shambhuraj Desai, industries minister Uday Samant, public works minister Shivendrasinh Bhosale, rural development and panchayat raj minister Jayakumar Gore and relief and rehabilitation minister Makarand Jadhav were also present beside CM Devendra Fadnavis. The CM said, "For the growth of tourism, it is necessary to develop civic facilities and tourism culture. The cooperation of locals is important for tourists to have a pleasant experience. When there is a big investment in the industrial sector, employment is generated, but in tourism sector, more employment is generated with less investment. This business has the potential of large-scale employment." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pernas e pés inchados: Experimente isso para ajudar a drenar o fluído do edema aartedoherbalismo Undo He also spoke about Maharashtra's potential to rise from fifth to the first position in tourism in the country. "Nature has given Maharashtra the beautiful Western Ghats, 720km of coastline and we have many beautiful holy places of pilgrimage. We want to carry this beauty abroad on an international level and this festival is important for that. The task of making the state number one in the field of tourism will be done in the next five years," added Fadnavis. Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde said, "Mahabaleshwar is rich in nature and heritage, and there is unlimited potential for tourism here. Water tourism is also getting a good response at Munawale. State govt has worked to promote the fort conservation and people-oriented schemes. Efforts are also being made for tourism development. There is a village of books at Bhilar, a village of honey at Manghar. It has the best strawberry production, the beauty of Venna Lake and diverse colours of folk culture. The task of bringing all these in one place has been done through the Maharashtra Tourism Festival (Mahaparyatan Utsav)." On Sunday various cultural programs by renowned artists, forts and vintage ammunition exhibitions, food festivals, adventure sports activities, children's workshops, helicopter rides, drone shows, food stalls, flea markets, visits to temples and other tourist spots, photography workshops, floating markets at Venna Lake, laser shows, yoga sessions and lectures regarding opportunities in water tourism, biodynamic farming, the Tourism Policy of Maharashtra and boat exhibitions drew lare number of visitors.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Time of India
Tourists flock to Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani to soak in the Maharashtra Tourism Festival
1 2 Kolhapur: Maharashtra Tourism Festival is attracting visitors in large numbers to the twin hill stations of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani with several events and activities lined up. The festival was inaugurated on Friday. On Saturday, the second day of the festival, tourism minister Shambhuraj Desai inaugurated 'Carnival Parade' from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Chowk in Mahabaleshwar. MTDC general manager Chandrasekhar Jaiswal, senior regional manager Hanumant Hede, Wai provincial officer Rajendra Kachare, regional manager Deepak Harne, Mahabaleshwar Tehsildar Tejaswini Patil and CO Yogesh Patil were present. Besides, a fun run, cyclothon, helicopter ride, farm visit, floating market, temple visit, carnival procession, display of forts and ammunition, cultural event, laser show, helicopter ride,and other events were also organised. Renowned flutist Amar Oak presented Morning Ragaaz leaving tourists and local citizens spellbound. People were seen hopping around the hill stations, making the most of the festival. Sumit Oswal, a tourist at Tent City from Pimpri-Chinchwad, said, "Visit to Tent City gave the Run of Kacch vibes. It was a great experience witnessing the colourful procession, exhibition of forts, floating market, and laser show. If we knew there was so much to witness, I would have planned my stay for all three days here. It was a great experience for me and my family on Saturday." The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has organised a three-day Maharashtra Tourism Festival to promote the state's tourist destination at both national and international levels. Another tourist, Sumedha Kulkarni from Baramati, said, "Visiting Mahabaleshwar has always been special, and this time with the Maharashtra Tourism Festival, our journey became a lot more memorable. So much to do and so little time is what I can say about this festival. At a few places, we faced traffic congestion. On Sunday, more tourists will arrive, and the administration needs to plan accordingly." The festival includes cultural programs by various renowned artists, forts and vintage ammunition exhibition, food festival, adventure sports activities, children's workshops, helicopter rides, drone shows, food stalls, flea market, visits to temples and other tourist spots, photography workshops, floating market at Venna Lake, laser show, yoga session and morning ragas - instrumental music, fun runs and cyclothon, lectures regarding opportunities in water tourism, biodynamic farming, Tourism Policy of Maharashtra, Carnival Parade, Fun Street, Boat exhibition, etc. The festival will conclude on Sunday.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Time of India
Floating vegetable market on Venna Lake, honey farming a hit among tourists at Mahabaleshwar fest
Kolhapur: A floating vegetable market on Venna Lake and tour of villages where honey farming takes place were among the must-see places for tourists on the first day of the three-day Maharashtra Tourism Festival, which began at Mahabaleshwar hill station on Friday. State tourism minister Shamburaj Desai said that bookings from tourists wanting to stay in tents and domes was good. "As many as 87 tents and domes were booked on the first day," said Desai. In the morning session, tourists visited the floating vegetable market at Venna Lake — a theme replicated from Srinagar's Dal Lake. The vegetables, both local and exotic, were displayed on boats by local vendors in an attractive manner. Many tourists signed up for honey bee tour, which involved a visit to Manghar, Madhuban villages, where honey farming takes place. The tour included both sightseeing and visits to honey farms. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These Are The Rolls-Royce Of Hearing Aids (And Under $100) Top Trending News Today Learn More Undo The tourists also took rides in helicopters. At Golf Maidan, an exhibition of forts and locally grown products was displayed. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde praised the selection of locally grown products and the provision of stalls for women associated with self-help groups. The authorities have also opened heritage buildings for public viewing. Many people visited Petit Library, which has an enormous number of old books, paintings, and photos showcasing the history of the hill station. Deputy chief minister Shinde said, "The work of constructing bridges connecting Konkan with western Maharashtra is currently on. The work on connecting two tehsils divided by backwaters of Koyna reservoir with a cable bridge and a viewing gallery is on. We have asked authorities to carry out environmental-friendly projects to ensure that youths get jobs locally and do not have to migrate to cities."
