Gujarat will roll out modern homestay facilities across 100 selected villages as the centrepiece of its Gujarat Tourism Year 2026-27 initiative, aiming to deepen rural and community-based tourism while generating fresh employment. The announcement came on World Tourism Day at an event held at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, where Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi unveiled the official logo of Gujarat Tourism Year and launched the Gujarat Film Shooting Permission Portal.

Homestay Policy and Rural Tourism Push

Under the new Homestay Policy, the 100 selected villages will receive homestay facilities engineered to preserve their traditional character while offering contemporary amenities to visitors. The government has signalled a parallel focus on skill development and improved hygiene infrastructure in rural and tribal areas as part of a broader tourism strategy.

The state also plans to train more than 1,000 additional tourist guides, a measure the government says will create targeted employment for young people. Homestay operators and tourist guides from across Gujarat were felicitated as 'Tourism Champions' at the event, with Gir Somnath homestay operator Parth Hadia and Kutch tourist guide Ketan Giri Goswami sharing their first-hand experiences.

Sports Tourism and International Events

Sanghavi announced that the global fitness event HYROX will be held in Gandhinagar from 26 to 28 November, with more than 10,000 participants expected, including over 1,000 foreign athletes. The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat will organise a special 'Bhajan Clubbing' programme for athletes in the evenings.

An Ironman/Half-Ironman event is also scheduled in Ahmedabad on 14 February. Both events are intended to establish Gujarat as a destination for sports tourism, a segment that has gained traction across Indian states in recent years.

Film Shoot Portal and MoU Signings

The Gujarat Film Shooting Permission Portal, launched at the event, is a single-window digital platform designed to simplify and accelerate the process of obtaining permissions and no-objection certificates for film productions in the state. Gujarat has been actively courting film productions as a supplementary tourism driver, and the portal is intended to reduce friction for production houses.

Eight MoUs were signed at the event spanning sports, technology, education and skill development. Partners include HYROX/Ironman for sports tourism, BookMyShow for digital ticketing, and academic and skilling bodies including Kutch University, Ahmedabad Management Association, SVNIT, Kaushalya – The Skill University, Tata Community Initiatives Trust (Tata STRIVE) and the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India.

Festivals, Religious Sites and Gap Funding

The government said it will consider providing gap funding to tour operators — based on representations received — to attract international tourists to cultural festivals such as Kawant Holi, Uttarayan and Navratri, as well as natural and heritage destinations including Dharoi Water Reservoir and Shivrajpur.

Sanghavi stressed that the development of religious and spiritual destinations such as Somnath, Ambaji, Pavagadh and Dwarka must be matched by cleanliness and civic responsibility at the local level. Minister of State for Tourism Jayram Gamit urged tour operators to build attractive packages around Gujarat's flagship festivals — Navratri, the Kite Festival and Kawant Holi in Chhota Udepur — rather than depending solely on government-led promotion.

A panel discussion on 'Hospitality, MICE and Investment' was also held, while artisans demonstrated Meenakari, woodcraft and Agate stone craftsmanship. The event was organised by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. With the Tourism Year framework now formally in motion, the state's ability to convert policy announcements into measurable visitor arrivals and rural incomes will be closely watched over the coming months.