Maharashtra to Launch Youth Tourism Clubs Under New Policy.
The Maharashtra Tourism Department is requesting that educational institutions around the state implement its Youth Tourism Policy, which has already started to influence students’ perspectives on travel, cultural heritage, and responsible tourism. By encouraging young people to participate in tourism, the strategy hopes to increase employment in the industry. The agency is promoting the state’s tourism industry by having students serve as “Youth Tourism Ambassadors” in Youth Tourism Clubs that are being established by schools and universities.
Every recognised school (Grades 7 through 10) and college in the state will establish Youth Tourism Clubs in accordance with the new policy. The goal is to equip students with the knowledge and self-assurance necessary to become authentic tourist ambassadors someone who is sufficiently familiar with the nation’s history and culture to speak persuasively about it both domestically and internationally. Along the process, students will learn about sustainable, responsible tourism in action and acquire skills including leadership, teamwork, basic management, and a service-oriented mindset.
The Central Government has created a comprehensive manual for the clubs to facilitate this deployment, which covers everything from their structure and expectations for each member to their main goal and scheduled events. In addition to learning in a classroom, club members will be required to visit neighbouring tourist destinations, assist with their upkeep, and participate in cleanliness campaigns, tree planting, and other community awareness initiatives.
Vikas Pansare (IAS), Director of the Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra stated, “The state government is working on multiple fronts to put Maharashtra tourism on the global map, and this policy fits into that larger push. We hope that more and more schools and universities will step up to support this program so that kids may understand what responsible and sustainable tourism really entails.”
All student members’ Aadhaar numbers, the teacher’s and student coordinator’s Aadhaar numbers, the proposal must be submitted with the headmaster’s or principal’s signature, and once the club is established, a report detailing visits to tourist destinations with accompanying photos must be submitted with the principal’s signature in order to register with the Directorate of Tourism.
