Govt to launch tourism destination digital knowledge grid on September 27

The platform will help travellers plan trips as the government seeks to strengthen tourism infrastructure, build skills and improve destination management across India

The government has proposed the creation of a National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid, which will be launched next week, as it looks to strengthen tourism and hospitality infrastructure and help travellers plan and execute their trips, Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at the Hotels Association of India (HAI) Conclave on Friday.

 

The announcement comes amid an ongoing review of tourism in India by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and discussions on reforms needed for the next five years as well as the next decade.

 

“We have decided that on September 27, we will work towards creating a new National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid for India. In the coming years, we will not only have to invest in hospitality infrastructure and hotels, but also invest in and equip our human resources,” the minister said.

  

“The Prime Minister’s priority today is to see what reforms have been undertaken for each sector and how the government can become a facilitator through those reforms,” the minister said. “The government needs to increasingly work through a facilitator model rather than a governance model,” he said, adding that tourism and hospitality have a significant multiplier effect across the economy.

 

A major boost was coming from domestic tourism, with visits rising to 4.26 billion in 2025 from 1.32 billion in 2014, more than tripling over the decade, said Suman Billa, additional secretary and director general, tourism.

 

This translates into a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11 per cent.

 

“Domestic demand is ramping up rapidly. Inbound is muted, but outbound is again ramping up rapidly,” the secretary said, adding that demand was outstripping supply by a wide margin.

 

The sector has the potential to create 100 million jobs by 2047 and generate more than $450 billion in foreign exchange earnings, according to data shared at the event.

 

“Every additional $1 million invested in the tourism marketing budget can result in 10,000 incremental FTAs, generating over $35 million in gross economic value and foreign exchange earnings through the sector’s high multiplier effect,” said Puneet Chhatwal, chairman, FAITH, and managing director and chief executive officer, The Indian Hotels Company Limited.

 

“People don’t get rooms, so they don’t travel. So, there is a latent demand potential that our sector has been sitting on for several decades,” Chhatwal added.

 

Employment generation remains a key opportunity for the sector. India’s tourism sector currently contributes 89 million jobs to the economy, with the government targeting an additional 25 million jobs over the next seven to eight years.

 

In addition, the government is targeting an increase in tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) from the current 5.22 per cent to 10 per cent, the secretary said.

 

Despite what the sector aims to offer, it also faces several challenges, including inadequate last-mile connectivity, promotion and policy monitoring, a shortage of skilled labour, infrastructure gaps, recurring instances of demand outpacing supply and a lack of harmony in rules and regulations across the country.

 

To address the skilled labour deficit, the sector is pushing for stronger public-private partnerships. The Hotels Association of India (HAI) has teamed up with the Skill Council of India, hotel management institutes and corporate partners to scale up workforce training. Industry representatives also underscored the need for better destination management to bridge the gap between policy intent and execution on the ground.

 

The secretary said the government was trying to develop destination management organisations (DMOs) at tourist destinations and had identified 50 destinations for development as global destinations. Industry participation will also be sought in managing these destinations.

 

Growth is expected to be further driven by an expanding middle class and rising demand for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism. As traveller preferences pivot towards experiential journeys, hotel development is set to expand into tier-II and tier-III markets.

 

Speakers at the conclave concluded by reiterating that achieving the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision would require closer state-industry alignment, standardised regulations across states, sustainable infrastructure investments and enhanced last-mile connectivity.