Tourism development must go beyond popular destinations to create local community opportunities, emphasizes Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Distilled Policy Brief
- The Ministry signed five MoUs with industry partners including Airbnb, FlixBus, Glance, Eicher Group Foundation, and MakeMyTrip to promote community participation and responsible tourism.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
National Digital Tourism Stack is developed with ONDC and ICDIA support with a pilot planned for January 2027; Dekho Apna Desh 2.0 focuses on alternative destinations like hill, coastal, heritage, and pilgrimage sites.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Analyze how digital public infrastructure (DPI) and alternative destination development can foster sustainable tourism, reduce over-tourism at popular sites, and generate local economic opportunities.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to the recent initiatives launched by the Ministry of Tourism on World Tourism Day, consider the following statements: 1. The Ministry launched the National Digital Tourism Stack and the National Alternative Destination Mission-'Dekho Apna Desh 2.0' campaign. 2. The National Digital Tourism Stack is being developed in collaboration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- [A] 1 only
- [B] 2 only
- [C] Both 1 and 2
- [D] Neither 1 nor 2
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
Both statements are correct based on the policy briefing. On World Tourism Day 2026, the Ministry of Tourism launched the National Digital Tourism Stack and the National Alternative Destination Mission-'Dekho Apna Desh 2.0' campaign. Furthermore, the National Digital Tourism Stack is being developed in collaboration with ONDC and supported by the International Center for DPI Innovation and Advancement (ICDIA).
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.