In a significant move to strengthen tourism governance and develop globally competitive destinations, the Government of Maharashtra organised a high-level workshop on Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) on May 12, 2026, at Trident Hotel, Nariman Point, Mumbai. The workshop was organised under the MahaSTRIDE Operation, a World Bank-funded initiative implemented by Maharashtra Tourism, with the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA) serving as the Programme Management Unit (PMU).
Deputy Chairmen of MITRA, Shri Dilip Walse Patil and Shri Rajesh Kshirsagar, were present at the session. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dilip Walse Patil stated, “Maharashtra has immense tourism potential rooted in its rich history, culture, spirituality, wildlife, coastal landscapes, and heritage destinations. Through Destination Management Organizations, the State aims to build a professionally managed and sustainable tourism ecosystem that enhances visitor experiences, strengthens stakeholder coordination and positions Maharashtra as a globally competitive tourism destination.”
The workshop brought together senior government officials, tourism stakeholders, hospitality industry representatives, development organizations, district administrators, and policy experts to deliberate on globally benchmarked tourism governance models and their relevance to Maharashtra.
The workshop marked a key milestone under Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI)-3 of the MahaSTRIDE programme, which focuses on establishing and operationalizing six Destination Management Organisations across Maharashtra. These DMOs are envisioned as institutional mechanisms that will drive integrated tourism development, strengthen destination-level coordination, enhance visitor experiences, and generate sustainable economic opportunities for local communities.
A key highlight of the event was the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MITRA and the ATITHI Foundation to support knowledge-sharing, stakeholder engagement, and implementation partnerships within Maharashtra’s tourism ecosystem.
Another major highlight was a panel discussion on the “Role of DMOs and USP of Maharashtra – You Will Find India Here,” featuring Shri Praveen Pardeshi (IAS), Chief Executive Officer, Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA); Shri Sanjay Khandare (IAS), Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), Government of Maharashtra; Shri Neelesh R. Gatne (IAS), Managing Director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC); Shri Aman Mittal (IAS), Project Director, MahaSTRIDE and Joint CEO, MITRA; Shri Devendra Parulekar, Co-Founder, SaffronStays; Shri Wasim Shaikh, Chief Experience Officer, Active Experiences LLP; along with other sector experts.
The workshop was also attended by Mrs Pradnya Manohar, Deputy Director, Konkan Division, Directorate of Tourism (DoT), Shri. Bharat Langhi, Deputy Director, Pune Division, DoT, Shri. Vijay Jadhav, Deputy Director, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Division, DoT, Shri. Nandkumar Raut, Deputy Director, Nashik Division, DoT and Shri. Prashant Sawai, Deputy Director, Nagpur Division, DoT.
Speaking during the session, panelists highlighted Maharashtra’s diverse tourism offerings ranging from heritage and pilgrimage tourism to coastal, wildlife, wellness, and adventure tourism. They emphasized that the DMO framework would strengthen destination-level governance, improve stakeholder coordination, support destination branding, enhance visitor experiences, and generate local employment opportunities.
By bringing together government institutions, private sector stakeholders, development partners, and tourism experts on a common platform, the workshop laid the foundation for a robust destination-level tourism governance framework in Maharashtra. The initiative reflects the State Government’s commitment to building a sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive tourism ecosystem that drives regional development, employment generation, and long-term economic growth.
Quotes:
Shri Praveen Pardeshi (IAS), Chief Executive Officer, Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), said, “Maharashtra possesses extraordinary tourism potential, but to emerge as a truly global tourism destination, we must move beyond conventional promotion and adopt professional destination management practices. Destination Management Organisations can serve as dedicated institutions that integrate tourism services, local stakeholders, branding, infrastructure, logistics, and visitor experiences into a unified ecosystem.”
Shri Sanjay Khandare (IAS), Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism), Government of Maharashtra, emphasised that “the operationalizing Destination Management Organisations, Maharashtra is taking a structured, future-oriented approach to tourism development. Our focus is not only on promoting destinations, but on creating sustainable, experience-driven tourism ecosystems that benefit local communities, generate employment, and enhance visitor experiences.”
Shri Neelesh R. Gatne (IAS), Managing Director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), said, “Tourism development today requires much more than infrastructure creation; it requires professional destination management, seamless visitor experiences, strong branding, and coordinated stakeholder participation. The DMO framework can help create structured, professionally managed destinations that strengthen local economies, improve tourism services, and enhance Maharashtra’s competitiveness in the global tourism market.”
