Mumbai, Feb 28 – The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has announced a series of special initiatives to celebrate International Women's Day, including a 50% discount on accommodations at MTDC resorts for women tourists from March 1 to 8.
These initiatives align with the Maharashtra government's Women-Centric/Gender-Inclusive tourism policy, aimed at making travel safer, more convenient, and memorable for women, according to Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai.
A Continued Success: Special Women’s Day Discounts
Speaking about the initiative, Desai highlighted the success of the program in 2024, which saw over 1,500 women tourists benefit from the discount. Encouraged by this positive response, the scheme will continue in 2025. Women tourists can avail of the discount by booking through the MTDC website.Women’s Participation in Tourism Sector
Furthering its commitment to women’s empowerment in tourism, MTDC operates women-run tourist accommodations in Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Kharghar (Navi Mumbai), said Indranil Naik, Minister of State for Tourism. These accommodations are entirely managed by women, covering resort management, security, taxi services, housekeeping, and hospitality, creating significant employment opportunities for women in the sector.More Benefits Beyond Women’s Day
Beyond the March 1-8 discount, the 50% discount will also be available on 22 additional selected days throughout the year, totaling 30 days of special benefits. The specific dates for these additional discounts will be announced on the MTDC website.Additionally, MTDC will provide stall facilities for women self-help groups at popular tourist destinations. Other activities planned include:
- Heritage walks
- Adventure tourism experiences
- Educational tours
- Tourism guidance training programs for women guides and water tourism trainers
- Entertainment and gaming activities tailored for women travelers
A Safer, Inclusive Tourism Experience
Atul Patne, Principal Secretary of the Tourism Department, emphasized that creating a safe and inclusive tourism environment for women is a key objective of MTDC. The ‘Aai’ policy will encourage more women to explore travel opportunities while enhancing their safety and convenience.MTDC Managing Director Manojkumar Suryawanshi noted that with March 8 being a holiday, a large number of women tourists are expected to take advantage of this initiative.
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8 and was first recognized by the United Nations in 1977.
