Nagaland Tourism Commissioner Kovi Meyase highlights AI and digital technology to promote the state's villages, culture and natural attractions.
CHIZAMI — Digital technology and artificial intelligence can create wider opportunities for tourism destinations such as Nagaland by showcasing its villages, festivals, cuisine, handicrafts and natural attractions to audiences across India and the world, Commissioner and Secretary of Tourism, Nagaland, Kovi Meyase said on Sunday.
Meyase was addressing the World Tourism Day 2026 celebration held at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School (SHHSS), Chizami, Phek district, on the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Re-design Tourism.”
The event was organised by the Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Chizami Range Students' Union.
Meyase said travellers are increasingly turning to digital platforms and artificial intelligence to decide where to stay, what to see and where to go. He stressed that destinations must have a voice in shaping this transformation.
Referring to this year's theme, he said the focus should not only be on the technology itself but also on who benefits from the transformation and who gets to shape it.
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He said artificial intelligence is already influencing the tourism sector, including the destinations that travellers see and the way tourism services are promoted.
With AI increasingly becoming a commercial space, Meyase cautioned that visibility could be influenced by those with greater financial resources.
For Nagaland, the Commissioner and Secretary said digital technology presents tremendous opportunities, given the state's rich cultural heritage, vibrant traditions, landscapes and hospitality.
“Through responsible use of digital platforms and artificial intelligence, we can showcase our villages, festivals, cuisines, handicrafts and natural attractions to audiences across India and the world,” he said.
Meyase said artificial intelligence is changing how travellers choose destinations, how the tourism industry operates and how travel experiences are designed. It could strengthen small businesses, improve services and create new opportunities, he added.
At the same time, he cautioned that unchecked use of technology could result in tourists being funnelled towards the same destinations and platforms, leaving many other worthwhile destinations behind.
“Technology must serve humanity,” he said, adding that tourism workers, local communities and emerging destinations should have a role in shaping the future of the sector.
He called for investment in digital skills, wider access to technology and measures to ensure that innovation benefits the people and places that make tourism possible.
Additionally Meyase urged stakeholders to work towards a digital future for tourism that is open, inclusive and human, while using new tools to promote sustainable development.
Director of Tourism, Veyielo Doulo, who led the programme, called upon the people of Chizami Range and others to observe World Tourism Day every year on September 27 in their own way.
He said tourism was aligned with Biblical teachings of respecting and loving others, and encouraged communities to spread the benefits and practices of tourism.
Tourism department adopts Zhavame village
On the occasion, Doulo announced the adoption of Zhavame village under the Department of Tourism's Village Adoption Programme.
He said the initiative aims to support and promote Zhavame as a sustainable tourism destination by showcasing its cultural heritage, traditional way of life, natural attractions, handicrafts and community-based tourism potential.
The programme will also seek to prepare and position Zhavame for future consideration under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India's Best Tourism Village Competition and the UN Tourism Best Tourism Villages initiative.
The initiative will focus on soft interventions, including capacity building of local youth and community members, homestay readiness, development of tourism experiences, strengthening of the existing Zhavame Tourism Board, digital promotion and promotion of responsible tourism practices.
The Department of Tourism will work in coordination with the Village Council, local community and other stakeholders to identify and support suitable tourism-related interventions for the development and promotion of the village.
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