Developing Konkan tourism is prime focus: Valsa Nair Singh at 'The Virtual Maritime India Summit'

Principal Secretary of Maharashtra Tourism department on Valsa Nair Singh on Wednesday said that developing Konkan tourism is their prime focus. She said this while addressing The Virtual Maritime India Summit in Mumbai.

Singh said: "Developing Konkan Tourism is a prime focus. Maharashtra government has been pursuing multi-faceted tourism initiatives to boost tourism in the state. There is an underlined need for maintaining the sustainability of coastal tourism with high return of investment."

Nair Singh had put a spotlight on promoting, developing and harnessing the potential of coastal and beach tourism and emphasized growing the blue economy in a sustainable and inclusive manner in Konkan.

She also highlighted some of the achievements and initiatives that were undertaken by the Maharashtra government towards sustainable coastal tourism in Konkan.

Nair also highlighted the initiatives undertaken to promote tourism in the Konkan region including beach shacks and facilities, Swadesh Darshan Scheme and RTDS projects in Konkan.

The Beach Shack policy will allow the setting up of 10 temporary beach shacks on each beach along the Konkan coast. Eight beaches were identified during the first phase of the implementation of this policy.

Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, the development of theme-based Sindhudurg Coastal Circuit is 90per cent complete and it is expected to be fully completed by May 2021.

She stated, "Petrogylps of Ratnagiri are one of the oldest in Maharashtra (10000 BC) and the experts believe that they were created in pre-historic times and possibly among the oldest ever discovered."

Valsa Nair Singh also presented unique and potential concepts for the development of tourism in Konkan that include: Fishing units, processing units, handicraft, floating houses, local cuisine at an integrated fishing village; Ropeways, heritage museum, lighthouse excursion, light and sound shows at heritage seaports among other activities.

( With inputs from ANI )