Locales, operators, bookings a click away in Maharashtra's unified tourist portal
The state tourism department is launching the 'MahaAtithi' portal as a single-point solution for all needs of domestic and foreign travellers
The state’s department of tourism is launching the ‘MahaAtithi’ portal to provide a single-point solution for tourists, said Sanjay Khandare, additional chief secretary, tourism. “The portal will cover tourist locations and the facilities around it, such as homestays, hotels and tour operators.”
The portal will list sites such as forts, beaches and forests; events and festivals; tour operators, travel agents and destination management companies; culinary locales, homestays, restaurants and hotels; and heritage walks, guided tours and other experiences. It will enable tourists to make bookings online.
The stakeholders will also be able to upload their certifications and credentials online. Khandare said around 50,000 units would be onboarded by the year-end. “This will be a win-win situation for all as their details will be accessible [to tourists] from across the world through this platform,” he added.
As per the ‘India Tourism Data Compendium 2025’ (ITDC 2025) report, Maharashtra recorded 8.86 million domestic tourist visits and 107,000 foreign tourist visits during 2024-25 to centrally protected and ticketed Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monuments. According to ITDC 2025, the state ranked first in foreign tourist visits and sixth in domestic tourist visits in 2024.
According to the Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2025-26, the state has significant tourism potential for attracting domestic and foreign tourists. “The state offers a wide range of experiences to tourists, from scenic hill stations, beautiful beaches, nature and wildlife sanctuaries, forts, natural caves, UNESCO heritage sites and historical monuments and museums to pilgrimage sites and places of worship,” read the survey.
However, stakeholders point out that many tourist footfalls are only during air-travel transit and bring little benefit to the tourism and hospitality sector.
Apart from a tourism policy that promotes cruise/river tourism and rural tourism, the Maharashtra government has also come out with sectoral policies, such as for adventure tourism, agro tourism, beach shacks, caravan tourism and vacation homes.
The state houses World Heritage Sites such as the Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta Caves, 19th century Victorian Neo-Gothic public buildings and 20th century Art Deco buildings and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. It has three Ramsar sites, namely Nandur Madhameshwar in Nashik district, the Lonar crater in Buldhana district and the Thane creek.
In 2025, UNESCO awarded World Heritage Site status to ‘Maratha Military Landscape of India’ for 12 forts, of which 11 are from Maharashtra. These are Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Panhala, Shivneri, Lohagad, Salher, Sindhudurg, Vijaydurg, Suvarndurg and Khanderi. The 12th site is Jinji in Tamil Nadu.
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The state’s department of tourism is launching the ‘MahaAtithi’ portal to provide a single-point solution for tourists, said Sanjay Khandare, additional chief secretary, tourism. “The portal will cover tourist locations and the facilities around it, such as homestays, hotels and tour operators.”
The portal will list sites such as forts, beaches and forests; events and festivals; tour operators, travel agents and destination management companies; culinary locales, homestays, restaurants and hotels; and heritage walks, guided tours and other experiences. It will enable tourists to make bookings online.
The stakeholders will also be able to upload their certifications and credentials online. Khandare said around 50,000 units would be onboarded by the year-end. “This will be a win-win situation for all as their details will be accessible [to tourists] from across the world through this platform,” he added.
As per the ‘India Tourism Data Compendium 2025’ (ITDC 2025) report, Maharashtra recorded 8.86 million domestic tourist visits and 107,000 foreign tourist visits during 2024-25 to centrally protected and ticketed Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monuments. According to ITDC 2025, the state ranked first in foreign tourist visits and sixth in domestic tourist visits in 2024.
According to the Economic Survey of Maharashtra 2025-26, the state has significant tourism potential for attracting domestic and foreign tourists. “The state offers a wide range of experiences to tourists, from scenic hill stations, beautiful beaches, nature and wildlife sanctuaries, forts, natural caves, UNESCO heritage sites and historical monuments and museums to pilgrimage sites and places of worship,” read the survey.
However, stakeholders point out that many tourist footfalls are only during air-travel transit and bring little benefit to the tourism and hospitality sector.
Apart from a tourism policy that promotes cruise/river tourism and rural tourism, the Maharashtra government has also come out with sectoral policies, such as for adventure tourism, agro tourism, beach shacks, caravan tourism and vacation homes.
The state houses World Heritage Sites such as the Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta Caves, 19th century Victorian Neo-Gothic public buildings and 20th century Art Deco buildings and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. It has three Ramsar sites, namely Nandur Madhameshwar in Nashik district, the Lonar crater in Buldhana district and the Thane creek.
In 2025, UNESCO awarded World Heritage Site status to ‘Maratha Military Landscape of India’ for 12 forts, of which 11 are from Maharashtra. These are Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Panhala, Shivneri, Lohagad, Salher, Sindhudurg, Vijaydurg, Suvarndurg and Khanderi. The 12th site is Jinji in Tamil Nadu.
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