Maharashtra government to set up panel to boost forest tourism

The Maharashtra government will set up a committee to suggest measures to increase tourist footfalls in forest areas of the state. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by state Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday.

The committee will have members from the state tourism and forest development corporations, Thackeray said. "Our endeavour should be to promote forest conservation and also boost tourism in those areas," he said. The forest and tourism departments should work together to boost tourism in national parks and forest reserves, Thackeray said.

The existing tourism centers should be strengthened by providing them with better infrastructure facilities, the minister said, adding that he also wanted tourism promotion to be environment-friendly. Bird sanctuaries and forests in different parts of the state should also be promoted as tourist destinations, he said.