Maharashtra plans tourism zone near upcoming Navi Mumbai airport

The proposed zone, with amusement parks, hotels and restaurants, is part of the draft tourism policy to be tabled before the state cabinet soon.

Mumbai may soon get a dedicated ‘tourism zone’ near the upcoming greenfield international airport in Navi Mumbai. Located near the growth centres of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, this zone will have a mix of amusement parks, hotels, restaurants, hotel management and training institutes, and ancillary activities. It is one of the provisions in the draft tourism policy for Maharashtra that is expected to be tabled before the state cabinet soon.

“The draft policy includes provisions for allocating land for a tourism zone and creating this zone on 1,000 acres of land near the Navi Mumbai international airport. The location has been chosen as it is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) growth hub. It will have hotels, entertainment facilities, amusement parks and tourism-related activities,” said a state tourism department official. “The zone will also have a hotel management and training institute as we plan to focus on skill development. The private sector needs skilled manpower.”