2 hrs ago
Govt launches digital tourism stack for unified travel bookings
The Indian government is creating one digital system for tourism services.
It is being developed with the Open Network for Digital Commerce, or ONDC.
Tourists may eventually find and book hotels, flights, cabs, boat rides and local activities in one place.
The system will also show verified providers, payment options, ratings and ways to submit complaints.
The government wants to include 14,000 tourism experiences and 9,000 homestays.
Work is planned to begin in late 2026, with a trial period in 2027.
The system is expected to expand across India by the end of 2028.
Officials say it should help tourists discover lesser-known places and help local communities benefit from tourism.
The Tourism Ministry and the Open Network for Digital Commerce launched the National Digital Tourism Stack.
The platform aims to make tourism offerings more discoverable, trustworthy, accessible and bookable through shared digital infrastructure.
The project targets 23,000 listings by the end of 2028, including 14,000 tourism experiences and 9,000 homestays.
Development is scheduled for October-December 2026, followed by a pilot from January-June 2027 and nationwide scaling through December 2028.
Five non-commercial, non-binding and non-exclusive MoUs were signed with Airbnb, FlixBus, Glance Digital Experience, Eicher Group Foundation and MakeMyTrip.
- Who
- India’s Ministry of Tourism, the Open Network for Digital Commerce, states, Union territories and tourism-sector participants; Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Shekhawat launched the initiative.
- What
- The National Digital Tourism Stack, a shared digital public infrastructure for discovering, verifying, booking and paying for tourism products and services.
- Where
- Launched at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, with the planned platform covering tourism offerings across India.
- When
- Launched on Sunday, September 27; development is planned for October-December 2026, piloting for January-June 2027 and nationwide scaling from July 2027 to December 2028.
- Why
- To reduce fragmentation in tourism bookings, improve trust and accessibility, promote lesser-known destinations and expand opportunities for local communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth.
Key facts
- Project
- National Digital Tourism Stack
- Lead organisations
- Ministry of Tourism and Open Network for Digital Commerce
- Onboarding target
- 23,000 listings by the end of 2028
- Target breakdown
- 14,000 tourism experiences and 9,000 homestays
- Development phase
- October-December 2026
- Pilot phase
- January-June 2027
- Scaling phase
- July 2027-December 2028
- Planned capabilities
- Verified identities and supplier credentials, search, payments, ratings and grievance redressal
Quotes
Gajendra Shekhawat
Union Tourism Minister who launched the National Digital Tourism Stack
“Currently, flights, hotels, cabs, boat rides, or even an ‘aarti’ at a temple, etc., need to be booked through different websites. This fragmentation makes the process a digitally painful experience for a tourist planning to visit places.”
theprint.in
“Tourism is no longer just about visiting places; today’s travellers seek authentic experiences – local cuisine, local art, local traditions and meaningful connections that create memories, not merely photographs.”
theprint.in
Sources
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