Ministry of Tourism, Government of India launched a national responsible tourism initiative by the name of ‘Paryatan Mitra & Paryatan Didi’ on August 15, 2024. Target beneficiaries It targets the local service providers such as cab drivers, auto drivers, staff at railway stations, airports, bus stations, hotel staff, restaurant workers, homestay owners, tour guides, police personnel, street vendors, shop keepers, students, etc. which includes women and marginalised communities. The objective is to provide training and awareness on the importance of tourism, general cleanliness, safety, sustainability and also on the importance of providing tourists with the highest standards of hospitality and care. Through Paryatan Mitra & Paryatan Didi, special emphasis is being placed on the training of women and youth to enable them to develop new tourism products & experiences like heritage walks, food tours, craft tours, nature treks, homestay experiences, and other innovative tourism products based on the potential of the destination. It is also envisioned that locals leverage these skills to obtain gainful employment going forward as homestay owners, food & cuisine experience providers, cultural guides, natural guides, adventure guides, and other roles in tourism. Tourism-specific training is being followed by general training in digital literacy and digital tools to ensure that the experiences they create are discoverable and visible to tourists, nationally and globally. Scope of the scheme Ministry of Tourism piloted Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi in 6 tourist destinations across India namely - Orchha (Madhya Pradesh), Gandikota (Andhra Pradesh) Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Aizawl (Mizoram), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), and Sri Vijaya Puram (Andaman & Nicobar Islands). From September 2024, additional 50 tourist destinations in the country were included in the scheme. Impact Due to the efforts of Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi, there has been visible enthusiasm from locals to be a part of tourism training programs and become a part of the tourism ecosystem. Going forward, the Ministry will be recognizing Paryatan Mitra’s & Didi’s in destinations with a dedicated badge and identity, offering tourists a way to be assured of an incredible experience when with a Paryatan Mitra.