Ministry of Tourism partners Google to boost 'Incredible India' with AI, Maps and YouTube

The Ministry of Tourism has signed a strategic partnership with Google India to modernise the 'Incredible India' campaign, using data, digital platforms and artificial intelligence-driven tools to strengthen destination marketing and improve the country's visibility among global travellers.The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marks the Ministry's first comprehensive partnership with a global technology company and is aimed at helping India build a more digitally connected tourism ecosystem.The MoU was exchanged in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The ceremony was attended by Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism; Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General (Tourism); senior officials from the Ministry; and Preeti Lobana, Country Manager and Vice President, Google India, along with representatives from Google India.The partnership will focus on three areas: providing the Ministry with travel demand insights to support tourism planning, improving destination discovery through Google Maps and YouTube, and building digital marketing capabilities among tourism officials through training programmes.Also read: Govt launches AI skilling drive with Google, YouTube to train 15,000 youth for creative economySpeaking on the occasion, Union Minister Gajendra Singh 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."As part of the agreement, Google will provide dashboards that track global travel demand and emerging traveller trends, enabling the Ministry to make more informed decisions around destination promotion and tourism strategy.They will also explore deeper integration between the Incredible India app and Google Maps to enhance digital navigation and destination discovery. In parallel, Google will support the Ministry in expanding its content strategy on YouTube, helping optimise the Incredible India channel to reach wider international audiences through authentic travel storytelling.Beyond technology integration, the partnership includes a capability-building programme under which Google will conduct training sessions for Ministry officials and tourism practitioners. The initiative is intended to strengthen in-house expertise in planning, executing and measuring digital campaigns.Read more: YouTube launches Gemini-powered tools to help brands tap creator trendsThe collaboration comes as India seeks to capitalise on growing global interest in the country as a travel destination while competing with other tourism markets that have significantly increased digital marketing investments.For Google, the partnership extends its work with governments in applying data, mapping technologies and digital platforms to public-sector initiatives. For the Ministry of Tourism, it represents an effort to make destination promotion more data-driven, measurable and digitally focused.The two said the partnership will operate under a joint review mechanism to monitor progress and ensure the timely implementation of agreed initiatives.The agreement also reflects a broader shift in destination marketing, where tourism boards increasingly rely on search trends, mapping technologies, creator-led content and digital analytics to influence travel decisions and attract international visitors.