Ask a typical young Indian where they dream of traveling, and chances are you’ll hear names like Paris, Bali, or Tokyo. But mention Majuli, Ziro, or Chanderi, and you’ll get a blank stare.

That’s the very gap the Dekho Apna Desh Initiative is trying to bridge.

In a world obsessed with international bucket lists, India’s Ministry of Tourism rolled out this campaign with a bold, simple premise: Fall in love with India again. Not as a country. But as a living, breathing, endlessly diverse experience.

And in 2025, it’s no longer just a campaign. It’s a movement.

Let’s break down why Dekho Apna Desh matters, how it’s fueling domestic travel across Bharat, and why it’s one of the smartest cultural nudges the government has made in recent years.

🧭 What is Dekho Apna Desh?

Launched in January 2020, Dekho Apna Desh is an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, aimed at promoting domestic tourism by encouraging Indians to explore their own country with fresh eyes.

It’s not about just sightseeing. It’s about immersing in regional cultures, discovering offbeat gems, and creating a deeper connection with the country’s heritage, cuisine, and people.

Think of it as a cultural challenge meets travel journal meets national pride. In short: see India. Know India. Live India.

🎯 Core Objectives of Dekho Apna Desh

At its heart, the Dekho Apna Desh campaign has four strategic goals:

  • Promote Domestic Travel

    Encourage citizens to travel within India instead of abroad, boosting the domestic tourism economy.

  • Rediscover Hidden India

    Shift attention from over-commercialized destinations to lesser-known towns, regions, and cultural pockets.

  • Build National Identity Through Experience

    Reinforce cultural unity and pride through firsthand experiences of India’s linguistic, religious, and geographic diversity.

  • Support Local Economies and MSMEs

    Drive business for homestays, artisans, local guides, and small-scale travel operators.

🌏 Why Domestic Tourism is the Growth Engine in 2025

Post-pandemic, global travel habits shifted dramatically. Visa delays, inflation, and rising airfare costs made Indians think local. But more than constraints, it was an awakening.

We began to realize: India offers every terrain, every climate, and every emotion—all within a few hours of travel.

From sand dunes to snowcaps, tea gardens to temples, islands to IT hubs—domestic tourism is no longer plan B. It’s the preferred plan.

And this shift has created massive opportunities for everyone—travel startups, local hosts, cultural entrepreneurs, and even content creators.

🧑‍💼 How the Campaign Works

Unlike traditional schemes with fixed funding or infrastructure targets, Dekho Apna Desh is behavioral. It’s a cultural shift—fueled by storytelling, digital engagement, and public participation.

Here’s how the initiative functions on ground:

1. Travel Challenges

The Ministry introduced the “Dekho Apna Desh Pledge,” urging citizens to visit 15 destinations in India by 2022 (later extended), making it a national travel goal.

2. Webinars and Virtual Tours

Through the Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series, experts, historians, and locals share deep stories about places like Bundi, Majuli, or Bhitarkanika, giving viewers immersive insights.

3. Content-Led Movement

The initiative actively promotes travel storytelling—from blogs and reels to travelogues. Citizens are encouraged to post using hashtags, participate in quizzes, and explore curated circuits.

4. Student Engagement

Schools and colleges are involved to build a sense of connection and curiosity about India’s diversity early on.

5. Recognition and Certification

Frequent travelers or contributors to the initiative can receive digital certificates and recognition—making travel feel both personal and participative.

One of the most powerful aspects of Dekho Apna Desh is its range. This isn’t a campaign about ticking off Taj Mahal or Goa.

It’s about:

  • Spiritual Trails: Hemkund Sahib, Shirdi, Kalady

  • Eco-Tourism: Silent Valley, Dibru Saikhowa, Dzukou Valley

  • Tribal Culture: Bastar, Wayanad, Dima Hasao

  • Craft Clusters: Pochampally, Kutch, Pipli

  • Heritage Towns: Orchha, Chanderi, Hampi

  • Cuisine Capitals: Madurai, Lucknow, Shillong

  • Natural Wonders: Living root bridges, Rann of Kutch, Andaman coral reefs

These are places where culture isn’t curated—it’s lived.

🔍 Why This Scheme Works (and Why It’s Different)

In a country where state tourism ads come and go, Dekho Apna Desh stands out because it’s not selling destinations. It’s selling discovery.

Here’s what makes it special:

1. Citizen-Centric

Instead of depending solely on government machinery, the campaign thrives on citizen participation. You don’t need to be a travel blogger to be an ambassador. Your grandma can be one too.

2. Emotion Over Infrastructure

It’s not about how many hotels or airports a place has. It’s about why that place matters. What stories it holds. What it can teach us about being Indian.

3. Content-Native Strategy

Dekho Apna Desh is built for the Instagram-Twitter-YouTube generation. It rewards sharing, discovery, and personal storytelling.

4. Low-Cost, High-Impact

No mega constructions. No flashy ad budgets. Just narrative nudges, smart digital rollouts, and cultural curiosity. ROI-wise, this is a goldmine.

📈 Impact in Numbers and Culture

While numbers alone don’t do justice to cultural initiatives, Dekho Apna Desh has triggered a meaningful impact:

  • Spike in domestic tourism to non-traditional destinations

  • Surge in homestay bookings and rural tourism

  • Uptick in content creators producing regional travel stories

  • Local economies seeing increased spending on handicrafts, cuisine, guides

  • Greater awareness of lesser-known languages, rituals, festivals

More than all of this, it’s changed the national mood. Suddenly, it’s cool to travel to Bhuj. Or try Pahari food. Or spend the summer in Coorg instead of Europe.

🛣️ Synergy With Other Government Schemes

Dekho Apna Desh doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of a wider push to redefine Indian tourism through smart convergence with:

  • Swadesh Darshan – Provides the physical circuits to explore.

  • PRASHAD Scheme – Enhances pilgrim sites tourists can visit.

  • Incredible India 2.0 – Offers global storytelling assets for domestic audiences.

  • Digital India – Enables app-based bookings, virtual tours, and e-certificates.

  • Startup India – Fuels innovation in travel tech, local experiences, and rural stays.

Together, they create a complete domestic tourism ecosystem—from aspiration to accessibility.

🔮 What’s Next for Dekho Apna Desh in 2025 and Beyond?

As the campaign matures, the next evolution is already visible:

  • Gamification: Travel badges, digital passports, and leaderboard rewards for exploring states and cities.

  • AI Discovery: Personalized travel suggestions through AI chatbots and travel assistants.

  • Regional Language Push: More content in Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, and beyond.

  • Rural Tourism Clusters: Curated villages offering immersive experiences in farming, crafts, music, and cuisine.

  • School Travel Missions: Students becoming cultural ambassadors through travel assignments.

It’s no longer about just seeing India. It’s about becoming part of India’s cultural continuity.

📝 Final Thought: A Movement Disguised as a Campaign

Dekho Apna Desh isn’t about checklists. It’s about identity.

In a post-globalized world, where people are searching for roots, meaning, and authenticity—this initiative gives Indians a way to reclaim pride, through exploration.

It doesn’t just promote tourism. It creates empathy between states, awareness of forgotten histories, and income for communities that have lived off the map for too long.

This is how you grow a nation—not just with highways and GDP graphs, but with shared stories and lived experiences.

So if you haven’t yet made your list, now’s a good time. India is calling. And this time, you don’t need a passport.

Read about PRASHAD Scheme - here

Got more questions about Indian government processes and schemes? Ask Jaankaar Bharat below