A New Digital Foundation for Travel
The latest and most ambitious step in this digital transformation is the National Digital Tourism Stack (NDTS), launched on World Tourism Day 2026. Instead of creating another closed-off government booking portal, the NDTS is being built as open digital infrastructure,
much like the country's Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Developed in collaboration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), it aims to break down the fragmented nature of travel planning. Currently, booking a flight, a hotel, a local guide, and a cultural experience often requires visiting multiple, disconnected websites. The NDTS seeks to create a unified ecosystem where any tourism provider, from a large hotel chain to a small-town homestay owner, can list their services once and be discoverable across a multitude of participating apps and platforms.
AI-Powered Discovery and Planning
Artificial Intelligence is at the heart of this new era of travel research. The revamped Incredible India digital platform now functions as a comprehensive resource, using AI to offer personalised suggestions to travellers based on their interests. It provides practical, real-time information like weather updates and connects users with booking agents for flights, hotels, and even entry tickets to monuments managed by the Archaeological Survey of India. The vision extends to creating AI-led interfaces and personal digital agents that can help craft an entire journey. This shift is also supported by collaborations with tech giants. In June 2026, the Ministry of Tourism signed an agreement with Google India to use AI and data-driven insights to better understand global travel trends and promote Indian tourism more effectively.
Beyond the Beaten Path with 'Dekho Apna Desh 2.0'
A key goal of these digital efforts is to distribute tourist traffic more evenly across the country, moving beyond the traditional hotspots. The 'Dekho Apna Desh 2.0' campaign, launched alongside the NDTS, specifically targets the promotion of lesser-known but tourism-ready destinations. This initiative aims to alleviate the pressure on popular sites that often face congestion and strained infrastructure. By identifying alternative locations and developing them into bookable products, the government hopes to support local economies and offer travellers more authentic experiences. The campaign will rely heavily on social media and digital marketing to showcase these new areas, using data to manage visitor flow and ensure sustainability.
Empowering the Entire Tourism Ecosystem
These digital platforms are not just for travellers; they are designed to strengthen the entire tourism industry. The National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+) portal serves as a comprehensive database for accommodation units, tour operators, and other service providers. It streamlines registration and classification processes, enhancing transparency and ease of doing business. As of late September 2026, the NIDHI+ platform already listed over 63,000 accommodation units and thousands of other service providers. By bringing even small, local businesses into the digital fold, the NDTS aims to give them access to a much wider market, with a target of onboarding 23,000 tourism offerings, including 14,000 experiences and 9,000 homestays, by 2028.
The Rise of Virtual Exploration
The digital expansion also includes how people experience India before they even book a ticket. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are becoming powerful tools for discovery. Travellers can now take immersive 360-degree virtual tours of iconic sites like the Taj Mahal or the palaces of Jaipur, getting a feel for a place from anywhere in the world. These technologies offer a rich, interactive preview, overlaying historical information on live images and allowing for a deeper understanding of cultural heritage. This not only serves as a compelling marketing tool but also helps in preserving heritage by educating a global audience about its significance.
