Lucknow, Nov. 30 -- Uttar Pradesh is pushing for a data-driven tourism ecosystem under the Viksit UP @ 2047 vision, said principal secretary (tourism and culture) Amrit Abhijat. Tourism officials said key initiatives include metaverse-based virtual site explorations, GPS- and QR-enabled audio guides in Varanasi, AI-powered footfall monitoring for crowd management, and unified digital touchpoints such as brochures, destination inventories, and the UP Tourism app. "The state is now preparing for a 'deep-tech shift' that will fundamentally change how tourists explore Uttar Pradesh," Abhijat said while speaking to this reporter on the sidelines of a recent workshop held here. The official said technology-driven, inclusive and community-supported tourism will shape Uttar Pradesh's future-ready visitor experience. "The new blueprint is ready for promoting digital tourism. The aim is to make heritage hotspots, from Varanasi's ghats to Ayodhya's emerging cultural circuits, accessible through immersive technologies." He said that metaverse-powered virtual walk-throughs are already drawing global interest, allowing users to experience destinations digitally before planning a real visit. Ground-level prototypes are being developed in Varanasi. The initiatives include GPS-enabled and QR-based audio guides, AI-driven footfall monitoring to manage crowds during peak pilgrimages....