Shekhawat launches Dekho Apna Desh 2.0 and National Digital Tourism Stack to spread tourist demand and expand opportunities for local communities
Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Sunday said India’s next phase of tourism growth must extend beyond popular destinations and create opportunities for local communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth.
Speaking at the World Tourism Day 2026 programme at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Shekhawat said travellers were increasingly seeking authentic experiences involving local cuisine, art, traditions and meaningful connections. He said tourism growth should be “more balanced, inclusive and sustainable.”
The Minister launched the National Digital Tourism Stack and the National Mission for Alternative Destinations, under the Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0. The Ministry of Tourism also exchanged five MoUs with industry partners to strengthen destination promotion, community participation and responsible tourism.
The National Digital Tourism Stack, being developed in collaboration with ONDC and supported by the International Centre for DPI Innovation and Advancement, aims to make tourism offerings more discoverable, accessible and trustworthy. It will provide shared digital infrastructure covering verified identities and supplier credentials, search and discovery, payments, ratings and grievance redressal. A pilot is planned for January 2027.
The National Mission for Alternative Destinations seeks to redistribute tourist demand towards lesser-known destinations that have adequate infrastructure, accommodation and capacity to receive visitors sustainably. Its initial focus will include hill and mountain destinations, coastal and waterfront areas, heritage and cultural towns, and regional pilgrimage destinations.
The initiative will work with States, Union Territories and tourism industry partners to develop bookable itineraries covering accommodation, transport, meals and local experiences, while creating opportunities for artisans, self-help groups, guides and other local stakeholders. Visitor data and feedback will be used to support destination management and monitor tourist footfall against assessed carrying capacity.
The five MoUs were exchanged with Airbnb India, FlixBus India, Glance Digital Experience, Eicher Group Foundation and MakeMyTrip. Areas of collaboration include homestay development, destination promotion, digital tourism content, heritage-based sustainable tourism and promotion of unexplored villages and local experiences.
Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Bhuvnesh Kumar said artificial intelligence, digital platforms and data-driven destination management could make tourism more accessible, responsive and personalised.
The event also saw the release of India Tourism Statistics 2026 and the launch of a Swachhta awareness campaign focused on cleanliness at pilgrimage, temple and heritage sites.
(With PIB inputs)
