As part of their new tourism policy, Maharashtra has announced several river cruises across the state. Thanks to Maharashtra’s extensive river network, travellers will soon be able to cruise along the Narmada, Vashishti, and Godavari rivers. They will also build several new ports to facilitate better cruise service. Read on to know more about this.
River Cruises A Big Part Of Maharashtra’s New Tourism Policy
Maharashtra has introduced a new policy to boost tourism and hospitality industries in the state. The main highlight of this policy is river cruising. The state will offer various routes and exemptions on taxes, duties, and loans to attract tourism sector investments. Cruise tourism will be introduced along the Narmada, Vashishti, and Godavari rivers. The Nandurbar-Statue of Unity route will be a leading route with more to come in Konkan and Nashik area. Furthermore, new ports will be built along the Konkan coast to boost river cruising.
As per a Time of India report, the state is offering incentives worth ₹1,666 crore this fiscal and similar amounts over the next decade to attract ₹1 lakh crore in investments for the tourism industry. The state is offering capital investment incentives of 15-20% or ₹15-20 crore, whichever is lesser. That’s not all, they will also provide 50% to 100% exemption on SGST, electricity duty, electricity tariff and stamp duty, depending upon the project’s eligibility period ranging from 5 to 15 years.
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How This Will Help Boost Maharashtra’s Tourism?
According to experts, river cruise tourism is an emerging niche within the cruise industry. And with rivers like Narmada, Godavari, Vashisti, Savitri, Krishna and Tapi, Maharashtra has the potential to tap into this segment. Also, the fact that river cruises have the potential to operate year-round, unlike sea cruises, adds to its charm.
As per the Times of India report, the Maharashtra government wishes to make travellers experience Maharashtrian hospitality and explore local villages, historical sites, cuisine and arts along the riverbanks. These cruises will also offer ecotourism opportunities as the rivers flow through various wildlife sanctuaries and will let people enjoy bird watching, nature walks and visits to conservation areas.
So, are you excited to experience river cruising in Maharashtra? Let us know in the comments!
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (representative image)
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