NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google India to strengthen the digital promotion of India's tourism destinations through the use of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, data-driven insights and capacity building.
The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi.
The MoU establishes a framework for collaboration between the ministry and Google India in key areas including digital tourism promotion, knowledge sharing, capacity building and the use of emerging technologies for enhancing visitor engagement.
The partnership will leverage Google's expertise across its digital ecosystem to strengthen the visibility of India's tourism destinations, experiences and cultural heritage among domestic and international travellers.
The collaboration is non-commercial, non-binding and non-exclusive, with no financial implications for either side.
The event was attended by Secretary (Tourism) Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary and Director General (Tourism) Suman Billa and other senior officials.
Speaking on the occasion, Shekhawat said, "Digital technologies have the potential to create immersive experiences that can showcase the glory and grandeur of India's cultural sites to audiences across the world. By harnessing cutting-edge digital technologies, we can transform the way travellers discover, experience and engage with India's rich cultural and natural heritage."
The minister said that the collaboration reflects the ministry's commitment to adopting innovative, technology-driven approaches to tourism promotion under the Incredible India initiative.
He expressed confidence that the partnership would help strengthen India's global tourism presence, improve digital outreach, and position the country as a modern, accessible and globally competitive tourism destination.
As part of the collaboration, Google's insights will be leveraged for global travel trends, traveller behaviour and digital engagement patterns to support evidence-based tourism promotion strategies.
The partnership also envisages training and capacity-building programmes for ministry officials on digital marketing tools, campaign optimisation, content creation and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enable more targeted, effective and measurable outreach.
"The ministry and Google India reaffirmed their shared commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to enhance India's tourism ecosystem and promote the country as a preferred global travel destination," said ministry officials.
