With a vision to increase tourist footfalls and showcase the unexplored wealth of the state, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation recently organised the first Maharashtra International Travel Mart By Akshay Kumar
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) recently organised the first edition of Maharashtra International Travel Mart (MITM). The three day exhibition was held from September 28-30, 2015 at Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre, Goregaon in Mumbai. The exhibition was inaugurated by Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra. Other eminent dignitaries present during the inauguration were Prof. Ram Shinde, minister of state for tourism, home (rural), public health and marketing, Maharashtra State; Subhash Desai, minister of industries, Maharashtra State; Vidya Thakur, minister of state for women and child development, Maharashtra State; Gajanan Kirtikar, member of parliament; Swadhin Kshatriya, IAS, chief secretary, Maharashtra State; Valsa Singh Nair, IAS, principal secretary, department of tourism and culture, Maharashtra State; and Paraag Jaiin Nainuttia, IAS, managing director, MTDC.
Speaking at the inauguration, Singh stated, “MITM will act as a launch pad for the tourism industry in our state. This event will surely give a boost to the tourism segment and will generate more interest amongst foreign tourists. With vast tourism assets at disposal, it is an opportune time for the state to win a prominent position in a global tourism league. This is possible only when we build and expand a strong tourism buyer and seller network within the state, within the country and on a global level. MITM is an endeavour to bring in the maximum number of tourism buyers and sellers on a single platform and empower them to explore economic growth opportunities in Maharashtra’s tourism sector. We are sure to see a number of partnerships taking place among tour operators, hoteliers, travel agents. It will also pave the way to attract foreign investments in this sector.”
A three-day event, MITM is a flagship global tourism promotion platform conceived by the department of tourism, Maharashtra State to attract buyers and sellers of the tourism industry from all across the globe to explore common growth opportunities. MITM showcased to buyers and sellers, economic opportunities in Maharashtra’s tourism destinations, cultural festivals, beaches, UNESCO World Heritage sites, pilgrimage destinations, wildlife, national parks, social and study tourism, and few others.
Unlimited opportunities
A strategic promotional forum of MITM has a special significance; particularly when Maharashtra Tourism is going through a phase with ever increasing footfalls from global and domestic tourists crossing the 4.5 million and 8.4 million mark respectively in the recent past. It also bears a great significance when the state tourism department and its flagship agency MTDC have been strategically building and promoting the unexplored tourism wealth of Maharashtra besides boosting conventional tourism assets on Indian and global circuits.
Nainuttia added, “MITM will help our dedicated campaign of ‘Unlimited Maharashtra’ to reach the next level on a global platform, as more buyers and sellers can witness the state’s tourism prospects. When the state is striving hard to ensure a fast-track growth in the tourism sector, MITM will open up an array of economic opportunities for buyers and sellers that will strengthen the eco-system of the state’s tourism.”
The first day of the event witnessed over 2,000 footfalls and the numbers saw a rise in the next two days. Among various stakeholders, were many tour companies from the US, UK, South Africa, France, Greece, Japan and Australia.