The Ministry of Tourism has introduced two major initiatives to redirect India’s tourism sector toward smaller towns and villages, ensuring that growth benefits local entrepreneurs and communities beyond popular destinations. Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced the National Digital Tourism Stack and the National Mission for Alternative Destinations, called Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0, on World Tourism Day 2026.
Alongside these programmes, the ministry signed five partnership agreements with major travel and hospitality companies to promote responsible tourism and community participation.
Key facts
- Announcement made on 27 September 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
- Two new initiatives launched: National Digital Tourism Stack and Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0
- Five Memoranda of Understanding signed with Airbnb India, FlixBus India, Glance Digital Experience, Eicher Group Foundation and MakeMyTrip India
- National Digital Tourism Stack pilot planned for January 2027
- Initial focus on hill and mountain destinations, coastal areas, heritage towns and pilgrimage sites
- Digital infrastructure developed in collaboration with ONDC and International Centre for DPI Innovation and Advancement
- India Tourism Statistics 2026 released during the event
What is the National Digital Tourism Stack
The National Digital Tourism Stack is a shared digital platform being built to make India’s tourism offerings more visible, accessible and trustworthy. It will function as common infrastructure that allows tourism businesses such as hotels, restaurants, guides and activity providers to list their services across multiple platforms simultaneously.
The stack will include features like verified business credentials, search and discovery tools, payment systems, customer ratings and complaint resolution. Unlike current systems where each platform operates separately, this shared infrastructure allows smaller tourism providers, particularly in remote areas, to reach more customers without building their own apps or websites.
The platform is being developed with support from ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) and the International Centre for DPI Innovation and Advancement. A pilot version is scheduled to launch in January 2027.
Understanding Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0
The National Mission for Alternative Destinations, branded as Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0, aims to spread tourists away from overcrowded destinations toward lesser-known regions that are ready to receive visitors. The programme works by identifying smaller towns and rural areas that have adequate hotels, transport connections and the ability to handle tourists without harming local life or environment.
The campaign will initially focus on four types of destinations: mountain and hill stations, coastal and waterfront areas, heritage and cultural towns, and regional pilgrimage sites. The ministry will work with state governments to develop complete travel packages that include accommodation, transport, meals and local activities.
A key part of this initiative is creating income opportunities for local people. Artisans, self-help groups, tour guides and small business owners in these areas will get to sell their services and products directly to visiting tourists. The campaign adopts a social media-first approach, using digital marketing to promote these destinations to potential visitors.
Industry partnerships and their scope
The five agreements signed during the event create different types of collaboration. Airbnb will work on developing homestays and training hosts. FlixBus will promote inter-city travel links to alternative destinations. Glance Digital Experience will create tourism content and messages about responsible travel. Eicher Group Foundation will develop heritage-based tourism in the Himalayan region. MakeMyTrip will promote lesser-known villages and authentic shopping experiences.
All five partnerships are described as non-commercial and non-financial, meaning the ministry and companies are collaborating without direct payment exchanges.
How this connects to existing tourism policy
India’s tourism sector has traditionally been concentrated in a small number of major destinations such as Delhi, Mumbai, Agra and Goa. This concentration creates problems: popular sites become overcrowded, local infrastructure is strained, and the economic benefits do not reach rural or smaller urban areas. The new initiatives attempt to address these issues through technology and planned destination development.
What this means for you
For tourists and travellers, these changes mean more curated travel options to lesser-known places, potentially with lower costs and more authentic local experiences. Mobile app users will have access to a unified digital platform where they can discover and book stays and activities across India.
For people living in smaller towns, villages and rural areas, the initiatives create business opportunities in hospitality, artisan work, tour guiding and local commerce. Women entrepreneurs and youth groups can participate through self-help groups and community tourism ventures.
For tourism businesses currently operating on individual platforms, the Digital Tourism Stack offers access to more customers without maintaining separate apps or accounts on every platform.
What happens next
The National Digital Tourism Stack will begin a pilot phase in January 2027. The ministry will continue working with state and union territory governments to identify and develop alternative destinations under Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0.