NEW DELHI: India’s ministry of tourism has signed a memorandum of understanding with Netflix to promote the country’s destinations through cinematic storytelling, marking a bold digital pivot in the government’s tourism strategy.
The partnership, announced at a World Tourism Day celebration in New Delhi, will use curated trailers and global outreach to showcase Indian locations to Netflix’s worldwide audience. The streaming giant’s involvement signals India’s recognition that modern tourism marketing requires Hollywood-scale production values and global distribution networks.
The ministry also signed agreements with the Atithi Foundation and online travel agencies to boost strategic research, innovation and capacity building. These deals aim to collect post-travel visitor feedback, enabling data-driven policy decisions across states and union territories.
Niti Aayog vice-chairperson Suman Bery told the gathering that tourism was “not just about leisure” but “a powerful instrument for economic transformation, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion.” Speaking as chief guest at the event, presided over by minister of state for tourism Suresh Gopi, Bery emphasised that India must “embed sustainability at the core of our strategy, not at the margins.”
The celebration launched a Project Management Information System providing real-time monitoring of tourism infrastructure projects. The ministry also released its 66th India Tourism Data Compendium, highlighting record international and domestic arrivals. India now ranks 20th globally for international tourist arrivals.
A new guidebook for Mudra loans for homestays was unveiled, offering step-by-step instructions for online applications through the Jan Samarth portal—part of efforts to democratise tourism entrepreneurship.
High-level panels featuring officials from road, aviation, railways and shipping ministries stressed seamless multimodal connectivity as essential for sustainable growth. Thematic sessions examined case studies including Mahakumbh 2025 and the Statue of Unity, alongside discussions on using artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality to enhance visitor experiences.
The Netflix deal represents a savvy acknowledgment that in an attention economy, even ancient temples and pristine beaches need cinematic treatment to cut through the noise. Whether Hindi movie and series creativity meets Silicon Valley can deliver the tourists remains to be seen.
