Caravan Tourism

The pandemic has brushed travel under the carpet and the government is leaving no stone unturned to boost the travel industry. Have you ever got super jealous seeing the posts of travel bloggers on Instagram and flaunting their tiny homes on wheels or caravans? Well soon your Instagram can look similar like that as the Maharashtra government cleared the proposal for caravan tourism. To help the tourism industry grow the Maharashtra cabinet gave its nod to caravan tourism policy which consists of two parts – caravan parks and caravan. Now, travel enthusiasts can explore the raw and natural beauty of the state.

They got a big yay for caravan tourism which will be a boost not only to the state's tourism revenue but also provide travel enthusiasts with a new way of travel. It will also provide employment to many.

The government has given a green signal to owners to use private or government land and set up the caravan parks. Owners can develop the parks on the land available with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) hotels and open spaces with agriculture tourism centres. The local civic bodies will give the permissions to set up the park.

Amenities in Caravan
Both the vehicle and the park must be registered with the Transport Commissioner and tourism directorate. There will be different caravans including the axle conventional, twin-axle & folding caravans, tent & camper trailer built with kitchen, toilet, sofa, table and beds. The park owners will be responsible for the safety of the tourists. Caravan vehicles will get incentives for setting up parks across the state. Tour operators can register themselves online. The registration fee has been fixed at Rs. 5,000 and the renewal fee at Rs. 2,000.

Since Maharashtra is blessed with natural and diverse beauty caravan tourism might just be the best way to explore the state. Not only the caravans are approved but also there are plans for caravan parks. These 'home on wheels' vehicles are very popular for tourism in several western countries and with this policy, Maharashtra becomes the third state after Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka to unveil such a policy. Do read the blog revival of tourism to know about the same in detail. Due to the ongoing global health crisis caravan tourism is becoming very popular as it is a safer way to travel.

Caravan Parks
The caravan parks will accommodate caravans and camper vans of all sizes. The parking lot will have all the necessary facilities like water power, electricity, road connection, toilets and a tourist help desk. In addition to all that there will also be a tourist facility centre. It will also be equipped with wheelchairs for differently-abled people. Among all this you can also live in caravans that are set up just for you. Remodelled and redesigned each of these caravans will be different from the other.

Also the caravans will be allowed to be parked near the state's MTDC resorts and homes or on their open lands or even at agri-tourism centres. Not only that people will be given necessary training by the Tourism department in hygiene practices, marketing and management of such caravans and caravan parks. Keeping in mind safety measures and protocols for COVID-19 such as distancing and isolation, it looks like caravans are set to be a tremendous breakthrough for the pandemic-struck tourism industry.

Let's hope that we overcome this pandemic super soon. At a time when tourism is one of the worst-hit sectors, the caravan policy comes as a breath of fresh air. What are your views on caravan tourism? Tell us in the comments below! Keep reading the Trainman blog to know the latest updates on railways and travel. For your one-stop solution, book your train and flight tickets through Trainman app. Download the Trainman App to check PNR Status of your ticket, Running Status, Seat Availability in special trains and many such features.