- Why in news
- On 27 September 2026, World Tourism Day, the Tourism Minister launched the National Digital Tourism Stack and the National Mission for Alternative Destinations (Dekho Apna Desh 2.0) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
- What it is
- The National Digital Tourism Stack is a shared digital public infrastructure for tourism, built with ONDC. The Dekho Apna Desh Campaign 2.0 is a mission to spread tourist demand from crowded places to tourism-ready, lesser-known destinations. Both aim at more balanced, inclusive and sustainable tourism growth.
- Digital Stack partners
- The Stack is being developed with ONDC and the support of the International Centre for DPI Innovation and Advancement (ICDIA).
- Stack features
- It will offer verified identities and supplier credentials, search and discovery, payments, ratings and grievance redressal across participating platforms.
- Rollout
- The Stack will be implemented in phases, with a pilot planned for January 2027, involving the Ministry, States, UTs and industry.
- Mission focus areas
- The initial focus is on hill and mountain, coastal and waterfront, heritage and cultural towns, and regional pilgrimage destinations.
- Carrying capacity
- Visitor data and feedback will inform destination management and track footfall against assessed carrying capacity.
- MoUs
- Five MoUs with Airbnb India, FlixBus India, Glance, Eicher Group Foundation and MakeMyTrip are non-commercial, non-financial, non-binding and non-exclusive.
Don’t confuse with Dekho Apna Desh 2.0 vs original Dekho Apna Desh: The original was a campaign to encourage Indians to travel within India. The 2.0 version is a mission to redistribute demand towards lesser-known destinations.
Don’t confuse with Digital Tourism Stack vs ONDC: ONDC is the open e-commerce network. The Stack is a tourism-specific shared infrastructure being built with it.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Spreads tourism income to local communities, artisans, self-help groups, women and youth.
- Reduces pressure on overcrowded destinations and supports sustainability.
Problems
- Lesser-known destinations may lack infrastructure, and extra visitors can exceed carrying capacity.
- Small local providers may have limited digital skills and need verification and onboarding support.
Way forward
- Assess carrying capacity before promoting a destination, and use visitor data to manage footfall.
- Train hosts and guides and give State governments a clear role in rollout.
Put in your answer
DPI approach to tourism: The Secretary said India's experience in Digital Public Infrastructure is being brought together for tourism.
Inclusive growth aim: The Minister said growth must reach beyond popular destinations to local communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth.
- 2014Mains ESSAY · Q4Can tourism be the next big thing for India?
- 2015Mains GS1 · Q17Evaluate tourism's ecological carrying capacity limits in J&K, HP, Uttarakhand
- 2019Mains GS1 · Q15How to restore mountain ecosystems damaged by development and tourism?
- 2023Prelims Q100Statements on G-20 origins and digital public infrastructure priority
- 1999Prelims Q24Why is India's tourism industry small compared to its potential?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: New tourism initiatives worth a card, but the release lacks hard facts for statements, so a question is unlikely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.