Dekho Apna Desh 2.0: Centre Launches Mission to Spread Tourists to Lesser-Known Places

Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched Dekho Apna Desh 2.0, formally the National Mission for Alternative Destinations, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 27 September 2026. The launch marked World Tourism Day. The mission aims to promote lesser-known, tourism-ready destinations as alternatives or complements to places facing heavy footfall. The Ministry of Tourism says the goal is to spread domestic travel more evenly across the country.

India's domestic travel boom is creating pressure at popular sites. With 428.55 crore domestic visits in 2025, according to the Ministry of Tourism, crowding, higher seasonal prices, traffic and civic strain are now routine concerns. The mission tries to ease this by redirecting some demand to suitable alternatives rather than only expanding capacity at crowded places.

The mission builds on earlier work. In December 2024, Shekhawat told the Rajya Sabha that the ministry promotes lesser-known destinations through the Dekho Apna Desh initiative. He added that the Swadesh Darshan scheme had been revamped as Swadesh Darshan 2.0, which aims to develop sustainable and responsible destinations.

The new mission adds a demand-side push to this infrastructure-led effort. Selection depends on readiness: roads, stays and civic services must be in place. That links tourism growth directly to local development, and gives states a reason to prepare their lesser-known places.

Shekhawat linked the mission to changing travel habits. He said tourism is no longer just about visiting places, and that travellers now seek authentic experiences such as local cuisine, local art, local traditions and meaningful connections. He said growth should reach beyond popular destinations, creating opportunities for local communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth.

Tourism Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar said artificial intelligence, digital platforms and data-driven destination management can make tourism more accessible, responsive and personalised. Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, presented the mission to industry representatives. The presence of airlines, platforms and hospitality groups shows the ministry wants private partners to help with promotion.

Short-term: For travellers, little changes immediately. Nothing under the mission is bookable yet, and packaged itineraries are expected to appear only after states submit nominations. The next steps are state nominations, destination packaging and the January 2027 pilot of the National Digital Tourism Stack. The ministry has not announced a deadline for nominations or a budget for the mission. The five partnership agreements, covering homestay skilling, intercity mobility, digital content, Himalayan heritage tourism and village promotion, begin the promotion work.

Long-term: The mission signals a shift from building tourism infrastructure alone to also steering where travellers go. The digital stack is meant to let homestays, guides, monuments and local experiences be listed on an open network and found across participating platforms. These are targets, not results. Together, the two initiatives aim to direct demand and help travellers find and book it.

Who is affected: Smaller towns, villages and homestay hosts gain visibility if their destinations are chosen. Local artisans and self-help groups are expected to take part in the packages, and the minister named local communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth as intended beneficiaries. Popular hubs could see lower seasonal pressure if some demand moves elsewhere. States and Union Territories must nominate places and show they have roads, stays and civic services ready. Tourism businesses, from platforms to transport and hospitality groups, are partners in the effort.

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