On the occasion of World Tourism Day 2026, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has announced two new initiatives. At an event organised to celebrate the World Tourism Day in Delhi yesterday, Union Culture & Tourism Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced the launch of a National Digital Tourism Stack as well as National Mission for Alternative Destinations – Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0. The Ministry also exchanged five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with industry partners for joint tourism promotion and marketing.
Addressing the gathering, Shekhawat said, “Tourism is no longer just about visiting places; today’s travellers seek authentic experiences—local cuisine, local art, local traditions and meaningful connections that create memories, not merely photographs.” He further stated, “The next phase of India’s tourism journey must ensure that growth reaches beyond popular destinations, creating opportunities for local communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth while making tourism more balanced, inclusive and sustainable.”
Delivering the welcome address, Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, stated, “Artificial Intelligence, digital platforms and data-driven destination management can make tourism more accessible, responsive and personalised. India has considerable experience in Digital Public Infrastructure, and we are now looking at how these capabilities can be brought together for tourism.”
As part of the programme, Dr. Vivek Raghavan, Co-Founder, Sarvam AI, delivered the keynote address on this year’s World Tourism Day theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.” He stated that AI has the potential to transform every stage of the tourism journey — from discovering destinations and planning a trip to booking, experiencing and sharing it. The opportunity before us is to use technology to make travel more seamless, personalised and accessible, while creating a customized experience for every traveller.”
Presentations on the National Digital Tourism Stack and National Mission for Alternative Destinations – a mission for redistribution of tourism demand and promotion of lesser-known destinations — Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0 were made by the Tourism Secretary Kumar and Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, followed by interactions with industry representatives.
The National Digital Tourism Stack, being developed in collaboration with ONDC and the support of International Centre for DPI Innovation and Advancement (ICDIA), aims to make India’s tourism offerings more discoverable, accessible and trustworthy. This shared digital infrastructure will enable tourism providers to make their offerings available across participating platforms, supported by capabilities such as verified identities and supplier credentials, search and discovery, payments, ratings and grievance redressal, says an official release by the Tourism Ministry.
Envisaged as a collaborative effort involving the Ministry, States, Union Territories and industry, the programme will be implemented in phases with a pilot planned for January 2027.
The National Mission for Alternative Destinations – a mission for redistribution of tourism demand and promotion of lesser-known destinations — Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0 seeks to distribute tourism demand more widely by promoting tourism-ready, lesser-known destinations as alternatives or complements to destinations experiencing heavy tourist footfall.
In collaboration with States and Union Territories, the initiative will identify destinations with a distinct appeal, adequate infrastructure and accommodation, and the capacity to receive additional visitors sustainably. The initial focus will be on hill and mountain destinations, coastal and waterfront destinations, heritage and cultural towns, and regional pilgrimage destinations.
On the occasion, the Ministry of Tourism also exchanged five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Airbnb India Private Limited, FlixBus India Private Limited, Glance Digital Experience Private Limited (InMobi Group), Eicher Group Foundation and MakeMyTrip (India) Limited to strengthen destination promotion, community participation and responsible tourism.
The occasion also marked the launch of a social awareness TV Campaign 2026 on ‘Swachhta’, featuring the Prime Minister’s call to citizens to keep pilgrimage sites, temples and heritage sites clean and promote collective participation in cleanliness efforts.