Pune News: RTI Reveals Declining Occupancy At MTDC Resorts Despite Tourism Boom; Audit Sought Over Poor Performance
Pune News: RTI Reveals Declining Occupancy At MTDC Resorts Despite Tourism Boom; Audit Sought Over Poor Performance
Pune, June 30, 2026: Even as private hotels across Maharashtra continue to witness high tourist footfall, occupancy at resorts operated by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has declined over the past three years, according to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The revelations have prompted demands for an independent audit of the corporation’s functioning.
The information, accessed by Vivek Velankar, President of Sajag Nagrik Manch, shows that MTDC’s 33 resorts recorded an average booking rate of 39% in 2022-23. Instead of improving amid the post-pandemic tourism boom, the occupancy rate fell to just 37% over the last three years. Velankar alleged that resorts built with crores of rupees of public funds are increasingly turning into “white elephants” due to poor management and declining patronage.
The RTI data also indicates that even MTDC properties located at popular tourist destinations such as Mahabaleshwar, Matheran, Ajanta and Ellora recorded average occupancy of only 40-42% during the period. The situation is reportedly worse at several other destinations, with the MTDC Tourist Resort at Nira Narsingpur recording just 1% occupancy, Sinhagad 6%, and Panshet around 18%. Exhibition and conference halls managed by MTDC reportedly registered bookings of only about 5%.
Following the disclosures, Velankar has written to the Chief Minister demanding a comprehensive audit of MTDC’s operations and action against officials found responsible for the poor performance. He has questioned why occupancy has continued to decline despite a sharp revival in tourism across the state after the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his letter, Velankar urged the government to investigate the reasons behind tourists avoiding MTDC properties despite their prime locations. He suggested that poorly maintained rooms, inadequate cleanliness, substandard food quality and discourteous staff behaviour may be contributing to the low occupancy.
He also alleged that senior management has failed to address these issues despite drawing substantial salaries and benefits, raising concerns over accountability in the functioning of the state-run tourism corporation.
