§1What this business is

A team collects field data with GPS devices and drones, builds GIS layers and turns them into interactive maps, printed guide maps and route charts for pilgrimage circuits, treks, wildlife and heritage walks. Income comes from selling and licensing maps to tourism boards, hotels, tour operators and travel portals, custom route maps, adverts on digital maps, app subscriptions and data work for government departments.

§2Is it right for you?

Who it is for

A geography, GIS or remote-sensing graduate with links to the tourism department and travel trade.

Who it is not for

Someone hoping to earn from tourists directly — most income comes from institutions.

Advantages

  • The profile cites over 40 million tourists a year in Uttarakhand
  • Map data, once made, can be sold to many clients
  • Government departments and tourism boards are large buyers
  • Ads and app subscriptions give recurring income

Drawbacks

  • Collecting data in remote areas is costly
  • Mountain terrain changes and maps need regular updates
  • Small local businesses rarely pay for maps
  • Free map apps are strong competitors

Skills you need

  • GIS and map design
  • Drone and GPS field survey
  • Selling to government and tourism boards
  • Keeping data accurate and updated

Why difficulty 4/5: Needs GIS skills, costly equipment and institutional buyers.

§3Market

Who buys

  • Tourism boards and government departments
  • Tour operators, hotels and travel portals
  • Tourists buying printed map booklets

How it sells

  • Map licensing and custom projects
  • Ads and subscriptions on a mobile app
  • Bookstores and tourist counters for printed maps

Good to know

  • The profile lists eco-tourism, pilgrimage circuits, adventure trails and heritage walks as theme maps.

§4Raw material & machinery

ItemQtyCost
GPS handheld devices6—
Drones with camera2—
High-performance computers6—
Servers and backup systems2—
Large-format printer1—

From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Tourist Destination Mapping Service in Uttarakhand

  • GIS software licences and cloud storage
  • Field data from GPS, drones and local bodiesshared by panchayats, tourism and transport departments

From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Tourist Destination Mapping Service in Uttarakhand

§5Licences & registration

  1. Udyam registration
  2. GST registration
  3. Drone registration (UIN) on DigitalSky and a Remote Pilot Certificate for operators where the drone class needs it
  4. Follow the Guidelines for Geospatial Data, 2021 and no-fly zone rules
  5. Shop and establishment registration for the office

We can do this registration for you

§6Schemes & subsidies

The profile plans 30% own money, a 60% term loan and 10% state tourism or start-up subsidy, with CGTMSE for a collateral-free loan. Stand-Up India suits SC/ST and women founders.

§7Money

How the investment is worked out: Office setup ₹5 L + equipment (GPS, drones, servers, computers) ₹20 L + software licences ₹5 L + first-year salaries and training ₹18 L + marketing ₹5 L + working capital ₹7 L = ₹60 L.

Working capital: ₹7 L working capital, plus advances from institutional clients and project funding.

Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current prices before you buy equipment.

How to prepare a loan file

§8Export potential

A local service; there is no goods export in this business.

§9Risks — where people fail

  • Slow government payments
  • Drone restrictions near borders and sensitive areas
  • Errors in maps affecting tourist safety
  • Competition from free map apps

§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan

A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.

  1. Days 1–30: Visit a working tourist destination mapping service unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
  2. Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
  3. Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.

§11Who to connect with

Not verified yet

Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect

§12Watch

There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.

Want to start Tourist Destination Mapping Service?

DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.

Get a DPR / loan file made

Sources

  1. Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Tourist Destination Mapping Service in Uttarakhand

Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.