Everybody knows Bollywood- right? There’s much more to come

With empty beaches, wellness opportunities and adventures galore, the rest of Amitabh Bachchan’s home state has the wow factor too

Valsa Nair Singh, Chief Tourism and Culture Secretary of Maharashtra outlined her tourism vision for the enormous 150million population state in an exclusive interview.

Clearly she is determined to promote the state at a major global level – having inspired and facilitated the recent groundbreaking, high profile Maharashtra International Travel Mart.

And, giving some insight into the major political and government backing for the Mart – it was opened by no less a local personality that the chief minister himself surrounded by a flock of at least 50 press photographers.

The event included contributions from, the Minister of State for Tourism, Minister of Industries,, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Members of Parliament and the Managing Director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation.

Even global star Amitabh Bachchan was there together with a bunch of famous Bollywood producers – emphasizing the importance of image and entertainment to the tourism industry.

They even went as far as to claim that Marharashtra could beat New Zealand as a movie setting asserting that Mumbai was now the entertainment capital of Asia. Their target? Entertainment capital of the world – no less!

Their claims were certainly enhanced by the entertainments that the hundreds of mart attendees were treated to, including a fabulous world-class fashion display of sublime saris for ladies and traditional designer wear for men. Non-stop evening events also included stunningly colourful performances of modern and classical dance and feasts of delicious foods from each of Maharashtra’s five area culinary traditions.

Bollywood was certainly not forgotten at this sumptuous gathering, but as Valsa Nair Singh, the new Chief Secretary for Tourism and Culture told us, the event had a primary purpose of showcasing the whole of Maharashtra tourism in preparation for Visit Maharashtra Year – 2017.

As a powerful and well-connected career civil servant (previously in charge of the environment portfolio) Ms Nair Singh is well aware that tourism is not a arrival-numbers game. Value to the local economy is critical to the activity.

The key areas to be developed (apart from Bollywood) are Wellness Tourism, Adventure tourism and high value culture-based tourism – including food naturally. In her view all of these activities could be developed sustainably and create opportunities for employment, training and wealth-generation.

Already Maharashtra boasts 4.8 million annual international arrivals and 8.4 million domestic tourists, but clearly the potential of the state’s massive tourism asset, with appropriate infrastructure, could be massive.

In particular, said Mrs Nair Singh, the 720km long tourist-devoid Konkan Coast is a glorious unspoiled natural asset that could welcome high-level tourists – discussions are currently taking place to develop a few resorts sympathetically.

Added to this, and both as an industry in itself and as an addition to regular tourism – wellness is a key factor. Many people already travel to Maharashtra for surgical interventions from dental treatment to cosmetic surgery and take the opportunity to stay and relax. But the state is also intent on capitalizing in a big way on its global reputation for alternative wellness strategies such as Ayurvedic treatments, yoga, and meditation.

In Mrs Nair Singh’s opinion, adventure tourism in all its forms is a major opportunity and the wild nature of much of the state, and its wildlife including India’s biggest tiger population is a tremendous drawcard.

Maharashtra’s food is also a supreme joy. The state has five distinct culinary traditions and, properly showcased, could draw many high spending culinary tourists. In the last few decades, even local vineyards have been established producing deliciously encouraging harvests.

And, of course, there’s Bollywood – a massive attraction in itself. The local film industry is well aware of the power of film to draw in the tourists, so watch out for more Maharashtran locations in coming blockbuster films.

But sustainable tourism relies not only on the cultural, environmental and economic aspects of tourism but the social ones too.

Two major features of the travel mart focused on women’s empowerment through tourism, and the training aspirations of the state – the local tourism school was well represented as were dynamic local women in the tourism industry who had used it to empower themselves.

Can tourism be really sustainable here? All new builds have to have 80% recycled water and LED lights at the very least.

It looks like both the dynamic Valsa Nair Singh and the Maharashtran tourism industry are both very serious indeed and quite capable of achieving their high ambitions.

Watch out for Maharashtra, the spotlight could soon be on this big, very colourful and sustainable player in the global tourism industry.

More info: http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/

Valere Tjolle

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