National Launch at Qutub Minar, New Delhi | 30 May 2026
On 30 May 2026, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) launched the Swachh Paryatan Sthal Abhiyaan at Qutub Minar, New Delhi. First Step Foundation was the implementation partner and handled the programme on the ground.
The campaign asks visitors and local people to keep heritage sites clean and to treat them with respect. We held the event with permission and support from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Delhi Police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Senior people from IATO, officials from the Ministry of Tourism, MCD officials and sanitation workers, students, volunteers, tourism professionals and members of the public came. Shri Arun Srivastava, Joint Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, attended.
Photos
Caption: Participants hold the Swachh Tourism Pledge board, signed by visitors and volunteers, at Qutub Minar.
Caption: Students, IATO members and guests with the Swachh Paryatan Abhiyaan banner and pledge board at Qutub Minar.
Caption: Participants with sanitation workers, who joined the cleanliness drive with their brooms.
Caption: Participants take part in the cleanliness drive at Qutub Minar.
What we did
- Cleaned up in and around the Qutub Minar complex.
- Asked participants and visitors to sign the Swachh Tourism Pledge.
- Put on a Nukkad Natak (street play) about cleanliness and responsible tourism.
- Spoke with tourists, students and volunteers about looking after heritage sites and managing waste, and handed out awareness material.
Who it was for
- Indian and foreign tourists visiting Qutub Minar.
- Local people and businesses that depend on tourism.
- Students, volunteers and young people.
- Tourist guides and other service providers.
What came of it
Large number of people signed the pledge. Officials, sanitation workers, students and tourism professionals worked on the same clean-up, and that is a good start for a campaign that needs everyone to pitch in.
What next
This was a beginning, not a one-day event. We plan to keep working with our partners on responsible tourism across India. Thank you to IATO, the Ministry of Tourism, ASI, Delhi Police, MCD, the sanitation workers, students, volunteers and the media who came.