The future of tourism will depend not merely on attracting more visitors but on creating experiences that are sustainable, inclusive, culturally meaningful and technologically enabled, speakers observed at the World Tourism Day 2026 celebrations organised by the Government of Puducherry, Department of Tourism, at The Sunway Manor.
The programme, held under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” brought together tourism stakeholders, policymakers and experts to examine the opportunities and challenges confronting the sector. Dr. Kishor Kumar Tripathy, Member Secretary, AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society, was invited to deliver a talk on the topic “Tourism Forward: Celebrating Milestones, Addressing Challenges and Bridging the Gaps.”
Dr. Tripathy placed the contemporary digital transformation of tourism within a broader philosophical and international framework. Recalling Sri Aurobindo’s vision of international organisations and an international spirit, he emphasised the importance of tourism as a vehicle for greater international understanding and cooperation, alongside the global objective of promoting responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
He called for a forward-looking tourism strategy built around sustainability, technology, local communities and inclusive growth. Citing initiatives such as Swadesh Darshan and Dekho Apna Desh, he said destination development should move beyond conventional sightseeing towards immersive learning, cultural interpretation and meaningful visitor experiences.
Tourism, he noted, has increasingly become an engine of development, capable of generating employment and entrepreneurship while supporting infrastructure, cultural preservation and local economies. India’s growing international role in tourism, he said, presents an opportunity to contribute to the global tourism economy while strengthening domestic destinations.
A key focus of his intervention was spiritual and transformative tourism. He argued that digital technology should facilitate pilgrimage without commercialising or diluting its spiritual character. Referring to India’s National Digital Tourism Mission, he stressed the importance of interoperable tourism data, unified digital interfaces, smart destinations and digital support for micro, small and medium enterprises.
For Puducherry, he suggested that the destination could serve as a laboratory for “Digital Spiritual and Cultural Puducherry”, integrating its spiritual heritage, Sri Aurobindo-related legacy, French-Tamil culture, heritage streets, museums, wellness traditions, nature, cuisine and local crafts through intelligent digital services. The central challenge, he suggested, is to ensure that technology reduces the friction of travel without diminishing the human and cultural dimensions of the experience.
The event was graced by several distinguished personalities, including Dr. D. Manikandan, Thiru K. Muralidharan, Dr. Asha Gupta, Shri Chidambaram, Shri Sunil Vargese, Dr. Venkat Rao, Dr. Sampad Kumar Swain, Mr. M. Nadarajan, Mr. P. Thanigasalam, Mr. Christopher, and many other eminent personalities from the tourism sector.
