Tourism ministry to soon release criteria for developing 50 destinations

Focus on infrastructure development, capacity creation and promotion: Tourism secretary

Sustainability and security will be among the criteria for choosing 50 destinations to be developed as part of a central government scheme for encouraging domestic tourism.

"Selection criteria for choosing the destinations is being prepared. We are working out the details with other ministries and will be ready soon," said Arvind Singh, the union tourism secretary, on Thursday.

Destination management organisations set up by state tourism departments can participate in the scheme by submitting details about projects and funding. The central government will fully fund the scheme.

"The focus will be on infrastructure development, capacity creation and promotion. There will