Tourism is among Maharashtra’s fastest-growing sectors, and the state government is using its women-focused ‘Aai’ Tourism Policy to increase female participation in the industry. The policy is designed to support women as entrepreneurs, workers, and travelers, while expanding the state’s tourism economy. Official policy documents describe the scheme as a framework to build women’s entrepreneurship and leadership in tourism.
A key feature of the policy is financial support for women-led tourism enterprises. Under the guidelines, women entrepreneurs who take loans of up to ₹15 lakh from authorized banks for tourism businesses can receive interest reimbursement, capped at 12 percent, ₹4.5 lakh, or seven years, whichever comes first. This is not a fully interest-free loan scheme; it is an interest-reimbursement mechanism tied to bank borrowing and compliance with eligibility norms.
The policy has seen a strong response so far. More than 4,200 applications have been received, 3,292 letters of intent have been issued, and around 900 loans worth ₹72.49 crore have been sanctioned. An additional ₹1.67 crore has been approved toward interest reimbursement, indicating early financial traction under the scheme. Recent reports say the strongest response has come from the Konkan, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Nashik divisions.
