A Study of Stakeholder’s Perception Regarding Destination Branding Strategies of Maharashtra State, India

Abstract

The paper aims to study the perceptions of tourism stakeholders of Maharashtra regarding effectiveness of branding and marketing strategies. It is the state which is receiving maximum number of foreign tourists in India. For this study, a survey of 178 tourism stakeholders was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used for rating the branding strategies of the destination. Data was analysed with the help of important performance analysis method and paired sample t-test was applied. Results of the study showed that, though the Maharashtra Tourism is successful in projecting a simple, appealing, believable and distinct image with help of ‗Unlimited Maharashtra‘ brand, there is need of innovative advertising tactics for effective branding of the Maharashtra Tourism to attract more international tourists.