MUMBAI:The Maharashtra Government has decided to appoint international tour operator and travel agents for attracting foreign tourists towards the State.

"International tour operators will be appointed to attract foreign tourists towards Maharashtra,"the Minister of State for Tourism,Mr Suresh Shetty, said in a meeting on plans to publicise the'Deccan Odyssey' luxuy train.

                Mr Shetty asked the State officials to make a proposal for the publicity of Maharashtra Tourism at the international level.

                The State Government will be discussing with the Union Railway Ministry on running the Deccan Odyssey in monsoon,he added.

                The Deccan Odyssey train has so far carried out 14 tours from Mumbai,Ratnagiri,Sindhudurg,Goa,Pune,Aurangabad,Jalgaon,Nasik and back to Mumbai,the Minister said adding 170 tourists have enjoyed the travel through the luxury train.    

                The tour conducted by MTDC charges $350 per person each day for foreign tourist and Rs 15,00 for Indian tourists travelling through the Deccan Odyssey.