Zomato – India’s most popular food delivery app to join hands for the first time with the tourism board in the bid to promote local cuisines
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has recently tied up with food aggregator Zomato to attract more customers through food promotion and increase its tourist footfall in the region. “MTDC Orange” located at Paryatak Niwas in Civil Lines happens to be the first MTDC owned restaurant to receive its first order via Zomato.
Mr. Abhimanyu Kale – Managing Director, MTDC said, “We have taken into account the demand for local cuisines and we have customized the meals that the visitors and tourists will enjoy at our restaurants. The new food menus will give them an authentic experience of the local culture and heritage. And this will differ from region to region as every area will have a unique offering. We have also started new tour packages to suit the growing needs of new age travelers. We have formed a strategic association with Zomato which will help us in amplifying our reach to our potential visitors. We had a good presence in terms of popularity offline and wanted to further intensify the same online.”
Since there was a growing demand of orders owing to the popular dishes from the restaurant’s chef which were quite a hit in the region because of his unique style, MTDC decided to associate with the country’s most preferred food aggregator Zomato. Also there are very few restaurants in the region that offer home delivery for food orders which was another reason for this strategic move.
Mr. Kale further added, “We decided to implement this strategy as part of our food promotion plan and thus boost the tourist footfall in the region. We are offering all kinds of cuisines at the MTDC Orange restaurant and the response has been outstanding. However, it is noteworthy to say that here is a huge demand for the local delicacies which are a part of Maharashtrian culture and we are optimistic that the unique style and taste will increase the popularity of our restaurants and in turn attract more visitors to our resorts. Saoji Mutton is quite a hit here. We are also planning to use this strategy in other regions as well in a bid to promote local food and culture.”
Over the years, MTDC has played a key role in protecting the multi-faceted culture and heritage of Maharashtra among visitors from across the country and the world. Acting as a nodal agency for tourism, MTDC runs holiday resorts, hotels, motels, restaurants, and produces publicity and promotional material for tourists. MTDC has their properties located in the regions of Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Karla, Malshej Ghat, Panshet, Bhandardara, Shirdi, Harihareshwar, Ganpatipule, Tarkarli, Velneshwar, Kunkeshwar, Aurangabad, Ajanta, Chikaldhara, Tadoba, Nagpur, Bodhalkasa, Wardha, Elephanta, Titwala to name a few.
Maharashtra Tourism organizes festivals at heritage sites and places of historical and tourist attractions in the state. Some of the major festivals and events include the Bird Festival in Pune, Grape Festival at Malshej Ghat, Elephanta Festival in Mumbai, Sarangkheda Chetak Festival, Pournima Mahotsav, cultural programs on weekends, food festivals, etc.
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About MTDC:
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has been established under the Companies Act, 1956, (fully owned by Govt. of Maharashtra) for systematic development of tourism on commercial lines.
