Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday, 25 May 2026, backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to Indians to choose domestic travel over foreign trips, calling it a step toward economic and cultural enrichment of the nation.

Context

Posting in Hindi on X, Rijiju wrote: 'अपने देश, इसकी विविध संस्कृति और समृद्ध सभ्यता को जानने का इससे बेहतर अवसर नहीं हो सकता' — ('There can be no better opportunity than this to know one's own country, its diverse culture and rich civilisation'). He added that promoting domestic tourism over foreign travel in the current global environment would boost local economies and prevent unnecessary outflow of foreign exchange.

The minister described PM Modi's appeal as one that would prove 'truly beneficial in the economic and cultural enrichment of the country' — framing it not merely as a travel preference but as a patriotic and economic imperative.

Policy Backdrop

The call echoes a well-established policy line. The Ministry of Tourism launched the Dekho Apna Desh initiative in 2020 to encourage Indians to explore domestic heritage sites and travel destinations after the COVID-19 pandemic brought international tourism to a halt. The scheme has since become a recurring instrument for channelling leisure spending toward Indian destinations.

The broader Atmanirbhar Bharat framework, also announced in 2020, included explicit calls to reduce foreign exchange outflows by prioritising domestic consumption — a logic that applies directly to the tourism sector, where overseas travel represents a significant drain on the current account.

Senior ministers amplifying the Prime Minister's messaging on domestic tourism has been a consistent pattern across periods of global economic uncertainty, reinforcing the government's self-reliance narrative through everyday citizen choices.

Stakeholders and Impact

The appeal directly benefits tourism industry workers, local hospitality businesses, transport operators, and artisans at heritage destinations across India. When domestic travellers opt for Indian circuits over foreign holidays, spending stays within the economy, supporting livelihoods at the grassroots level.

On the macroeconomic side, a sustained shift toward domestic tourism helps conserve foreign exchange reserves by reducing outbound leisure spending — a concern that gains urgency during periods of global currency or geopolitical volatility. India's tourism sector, which employs millions directly and indirectly, stands to gain substantially from such a behavioural shift.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether the Ministry of Tourism follows the Prime Minister's appeal with concrete announcements — new domestic travel circuits, promotional campaigns, or targeted allocations. Any related policy moves or budgetary provisions could feature in parliamentary discussions during the upcoming monsoon session. With senior ministers like Rijiju publicly amplifying the message, the political groundwork for a renewed domestic tourism push appears to be in place.