Gujarat's tourist guide training programme is generating steady employment for local youth while transforming the visitor experience at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Narmada district. Around 150 professionally trained guides have already been deployed at the site, with the state government targeting a total of nearly 1,000 trained guides across major destinations under its Gujarat Tourism Year 2026 initiative.

What the Programme Covers

Guides are being trained in Hindi, English, and Gujarati to cater to visitors from across the country. Their coverage spans the Statue of Unity — the world's tallest statue — along with nearby attractions including the Jungle Safari, Miyawaki Forest, and Arogya Van. The training, provided free of charge by the Statue of Unity Authority, combines classroom instruction with practical exposure at project sites.

The programme has since been extended beyond Ekta Nagar to heritage sites such as Dholavira and Lothal, as well as several religious destinations across Gujarat, broadening both its employment reach and its tourism impact.

What Visitors and Guides Are Saying

Dimple, a tourist visiting the Statue of Unity, said the presence of trained guides had noticeably improved her trip. 'There are trained guides at the Statue of Unity, Jungle Safari, Miyawaki Forest and Arogya Van who explain everything very well. They provide information in a simple language and even explain medicinal plants in detail,' she said.

For the guides themselves, the programme has meant more than a job. Mahendra Tadvi, a trained tourist guide from the area, said the free training had built confidence alongside income. 'The Statue of Unity Authority provided us with free training and practical exposure at different project sites. It improved our language and communication skills and also brought financial stability to our families,' he added.

The Government's Broader Tourism Push

The initiative sits within a larger policy framework under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who has declared 2026 as 'Gujarat Tourism Year'. Officials say the guide programme is designed to build a skilled workforce for Gujarat's rapidly growing tourism sector — one that has seen the Statue of Unity emerge as one of India's most-visited destinations since its inauguration in 2018.

Before the programme, many visitors reportedly struggled to access accurate or detailed information about the region's attractions. The structured guide deployment is intended to close that gap with consistent, professional assistance at each site.

Employment and Skill Development Impact

The 150 guides currently deployed at Ekta Nagar are drawn from Ekta Nagar and surrounding villages, making the programme a direct livelihood intervention for communities in the Narmada belt. Officials said the eventual target of 1,000 guides statewide would create sustainable employment while ensuring tourism infrastructure keeps pace with visitor growth.

With Gujarat's heritage and religious tourism circuits also being brought under the programme, the state is positioning its guide network as a long-term pillar of its tourism economy — and a model for skill-linked employment at scale.