"Dekho apna desh" pledge to boost local tourism

In a bid to encourage more footfall on domestic tourism destinations, the Tourism ministry started a unique "Dekho Apna Desh" campaign asking Ind to take pledge to visit at least 15 different tourism locations in India by the year 2022.

The ministry has also planned to back this motivational campaign with some incentives including lucky draws and gifts which may include tickets and travel packages.

During his speech from Red fort last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the people to visit more domestic tourist destinations which he claimed will help boost local economy.

"I know people travel abroad for holidays, but can we think of visiting at least 15 tourist destinations across India before 2022," the PM had said.

Now, on National Tourism Day, the ministry has aimed to achieve Prime Minister's target and for the same, a unique pledge was taken Friday midnight.

Sharing his certificate of the pledge, the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Prahlad Singh Patel told , "Prime Minister had urged Ind to visit at least 15 domestic tourist destinations by 2022, our campaign aims to make that pledge a reality."

"We will start a mass movement encouraging every Indian to visit more domestic destinations, this will boost up local as well as national economy," Patel said.

To take the pledge, an individual will have to sign up on https://pledge.mygov.in/my-country/. The language for the pledge can be selected between Hindi and English and once the individual recites the pledge he or she will be given a certificate for the same through email or through mobile text. One can get its print out from the same webpage also.

Speaking to , the ADG of Tourism Ministry, Rupinder Kaur said, "This is certainly not restricted to just a motivational one, we plan to put down some incentives for the people who are taking pledge, that might include lucky draws for travel packages and gifts. But we will announce this later once it is complete."

( With inputs from IANS )