Tourism association plans to promote religious destinations like Shirdi, Nashik in Maharashtra
IATO, a consortium of over 1,600 members within the tourism industry, unveiled a plan to promote the "triangle" of Shirdi, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, along with other tourist destinations scattered across Maharashtra.
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Chairman of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Rajiv Mehra, has announced that the toursim body plans to boost tourism in Maharashtra by focusing on Shirdi, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, among other religious destinations to attract more tourists.
Emphasising the importance of improving the road infrastructure connecting these locations to various historic sites, Mehra highlighted the global renown of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, celebrated for the Ajanta and Ellora caves.
Additionally, Shirdi, located in Ahmednagar district, is famous for the revered Saibaba shrine, while Nashik is home to significant religious landmarks such as the Trimbakeshwar temple. The IATO, a consortium of more than 1,600 members within the tourism industry, recently concluded its annual convention, during which they unveiled their plans to promote the "triangle" of Shirdi, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, along with various other alluring tourist destinations scattered throughout Maharashtra.
"We shall promote Shirdi, Nashik and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, which has two UNESCO world heritage sites. The other parts of the state are also worth visiting," he said.
"Maharashtra has a lot to show (in terms of tourism). Every state has its advantages and limitations. But Maharashtra should follow the footsteps of Madhya Pradesh to promote its tourism aggressively. We have also come across some issues that the state government should address. We will write to the Maharashtra government once we are back (from post-convention tours)." He suggested that the state focus on road infrastructure.
"Though the Samruddhi Expressway is taking shape, roads connecting various tourist places and monuments with the expressway need a major revamp. The roads near monuments should be wide and pothole-free," he said.
There should be proper traffic management near the monuments and on connecting roads. If a tourist gets late in reaching a specific location, it will hamper his further trip also, Mehra said.
"The road to the Ajanta Caves here should be world class," he said.
He said purchasing three-four tickets at the Ajanta Caves every time takes a toll on tourists. A single-window ticketing system at the Ajanta Caves will boost footfalls here, he added.
