World Tourism Day 2026: Digital Tourism Stack Launched
On World Tourism Day 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the National Digital Tourism Stack and Dekho Apna Desh 2.0.

Why in News
World Tourism Day 2026 was observed at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 27 September 2026, where the Union Tourism Minister launched the National Digital Tourism Stack and the National Mission for Alternative Destinations, Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0.
The Ministry of Tourism marked World Tourism Day 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat used the occasion to launch two national initiatives and to exchange five agreements with travel industry partners.
This year's theme
The theme for the day was Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism. The keynote on the theme was delivered by Dr Vivek Raghavan, Co-Founder of Sarvam AI, who spoke of technology reshaping every stage of a journey, from choosing a destination to booking and sharing the trip. Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar said India's experience with Digital Public Infrastructure could now be applied to travel.
National Digital Tourism Stack
The first launch is a shared digital layer for tourism, being built with ONDC and supported by the International Centre for DPI Innovation and Advancement (ICDIA). It will let tourism providers list their offerings across participating platforms, with verified identities and supplier credentials, search and discovery, payments, ratings and grievance redressal. States, Union Territories and industry will be part of it, and a pilot is planned for January 2027.
Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0
The second launch is the National Mission for Alternative Destinations, carried forward as Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0. Its purpose is to spread visitor demand away from crowded places towards lesser-known but travel-ready ones. The first set will be drawn from hill and mountain spots, coastal and waterfront places, heritage and cultural towns, and regional pilgrimage centres, chosen for their appeal, infrastructure and capacity to host more visitors. Bookable itineraries covering stay, transport, meals and local experiences will be built with States and industry, promoted through a social media-first push, and monitored against each destination's assessed carrying capacity.
Five MoUs signed
- Airbnb India — homestay development and host skilling
- FlixBus India — intercity mobility and responsible travel
- Glance Digital Experience (InMobi Group) — digital tourism content
- Eicher Group Foundation — community-led heritage tourism in the Himalayan region
- MakeMyTrip (India) — unexplored villages and local shopping
All five partnerships are non-commercial, non-financial, non-binding and non-exclusive. Presentations on the two new initiatives were made by Bhuvnesh Kumar and by Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General in the ministry. The event also saw the launch of a television campaign on Swachhta carrying the Prime Minister's appeal to keep pilgrimage, temple and heritage sites clean, and the release of the publication India Tourism Statistics 2026. Shekhawat said travellers today look for authentic experiences such as local food, art and traditions, and that the next phase of growth must reach communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth beyond the popular circuits.
Important Facts
| Occasion | World Tourism Day 2026 |
|---|---|
| Venue | Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi |
| Theme | Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism |
| Launched by | Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture |
| First launch | National Digital Tourism Stack, with ONDC and ICDIA |
| Pilot | Planned for January 2027 |
| Second launch | National Mission for Alternative Destinations (Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0) |
| MoU partners | Airbnb India, FlixBus India, Glance Digital Experience, Eicher Group Foundation, MakeMyTrip (India) |
| Publication released | India Tourism Statistics 2026 |
| Keynote | Dr Vivek Raghavan, Co-Founder, Sarvam AI |
Exam Point of View
Remember the day (World Tourism Day, 27 September), the venue (Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi), the theme, the minister (Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism and Culture), the two launches, the partners for the digital stack (ONDC and ICDIA), the pilot month (January 2027), the five MoU partners and the publication released (India Tourism Statistics 2026).
Practice Questions
What is the theme of World Tourism Day 2026?
- A.Tourism and Green Investments
- B.Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism
- C.Tourism and Peace
- D.Rethinking Tourism
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism
Explanation
The correct answer is Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism. India marked the day at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, and the keynote on this theme was given by Dr Vivek Raghavan, Co-Founder of Sarvam AI, who described how technology can reshape every stage of travel, from discovering a destination to booking and sharing the experience. Options A, C and D name themes of other observances and years and were not the subject of this year's programme. The choice of theme explains why the two launches of the day were digital in character: the National Digital Tourism Stack, a shared digital layer for the sector, and a mission to redistribute demand using data and online promotion. Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar linked the theme to India's record with Digital Public Infrastructure.
The National Digital Tourism Stack launched by the Ministry of Tourism is being developed in collaboration with which platform?
- A.UPI
- B.ONDC
- C.GeM
- D.DigiLocker
Show answer
Correct answer: B. ONDC
Explanation
The correct answer is ONDC, the Open Network for Digital Commerce, with support from the International Centre for DPI Innovation and Advancement. The stack is meant to make India's tourism offerings easier to find, reach and trust: providers will be able to list themselves across participating platforms, backed by verified identities and supplier credentials, search and discovery, payments, ratings and a grievance redressal route. Options A, C and D are other digital public platforms, for payments, government procurement and document storage respectively, and none of them was named as the collaborating platform for this stack. The programme will be built with States, Union Territories and industry, and will be rolled out in phases with a pilot planned for January 2027, a date worth noting for the examination.
Which initiative, launched as the National Mission for Alternative Destinations, seeks to shift tourist demand towards lesser-known places?
- A.Swadesh Darshan 3.0
- B.Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0
- C.PRASHAD Mission
- D.Incredible India 3.0
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0
Explanation
The correct answer is Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0, launched as the National Mission for Alternative Destinations. Its purpose is to redistribute demand away from destinations carrying heavy footfall towards places that are travel-ready but less visited. The first set will be identified with States and Union Territories from hill and mountain locations, coastal and waterfront spots, heritage and cultural towns and regional pilgrimage centres, judged on distinct appeal, infrastructure, accommodation and the capacity to take more visitors sustainably. Bookable packages covering stay, transport, meals and local experiences will follow, promoted through a social media-first approach, with visitor data used to watch footfall against assessed carrying capacity. Options A, C and D name other tourism programmes and were not the mission launched on this occasion.
How many Memoranda of Understanding did the Ministry of Tourism exchange with industry partners on World Tourism Day 2026?
- A.Three
- B.Four
- C.Five
- D.Seven
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Five
Explanation
The correct answer is five. The ministry exchanged agreements with Airbnb India for homestay development and host skilling, with FlixBus India for destination promotion and responsible travel through intercity mobility, with Glance Digital Experience of the InMobi Group for digital tourism content and responsible visitor messaging, with Eicher Group Foundation for community-led heritage tourism in the Himalayan region, and with MakeMyTrip for promoting unexplored villages and authentic local shopping. All five are described as non-commercial, non-financial, non-binding and non-exclusive, so no money changes hands under them. Options A, B and D do not match the count of partnerships announced. The same event also saw a television campaign on Swachhta at pilgrimage and heritage sites and the release of India Tourism Statistics 2026. Aspirants should note the count together with the sector each partner covers, since a question may ask which company was tied to homestays, to intercity buses or to Himalayan heritage tourism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the theme of World Tourism Day 2026?
The theme is Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism. India marked the day at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, where the Tourism Ministry launched two national initiatives.
What is the National Digital Tourism Stack?
It is a shared digital infrastructure for tourism being developed with ONDC and supported by ICDIA, offering verified supplier credentials, discovery, payments, ratings and grievance redressal. Its pilot is planned for January 2027.
What does Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0 aim to do?
As the National Mission for Alternative Destinations, it aims to shift tourist demand towards lesser-known destinations, starting with hill, coastal, heritage and regional pilgrimage places.
Sources
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