Gandhinagar, February 19: The Gujarat government has declared 2026 as the ‘Gujarat Tourism Year’ and announced several allocations in the 2026-27 budget aimed at enhancing heritage, pilgrimage, and coastal tourism infrastructure across the state.
Presenting the budget, Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai outlined provisions for key locations, transportation facilities, and new promotional programs. This includes the launch of the ‘Wed in Gujarat’ campaign to position the state as a wedding and destination tourism hub.
A significant allocation of ₹236 crores has been earmarked for infrastructure development at the Statue of Unity. This funding aims to enhance visitor amenities and related facilities at one of the state’s major tourist attractions.
Additionally, the government has allocated ₹95 crores for the National Maritime Heritage Museum in Lothal and for training and deploying 1,000 tourist guides. This initiative aims to improve interpretation services at heritage sites and enhance the visitor experience.
For pilgrimage infrastructure, ₹300 crores have been allocated for the Ambaji Corridor master plan at the Ambaji Temple. Furthermore, ₹55 crores have been set aside for facilities at the Bahucharaji Temple, Girnar, and the Narmada Parikrama route, focusing on amenities and improved access for pilgrims.
In coastal and temple tourism projects, ₹60 crores will be directed towards development initiatives at the Somnath Temple and Shivrajpur Beach, along with tourism development between Visavadar and Porbandar. This allocation aims to upgrade facilities and strengthen the coastal tourism circuit.
To support the growing number of visitors, the government has allocated ₹447 crores for the development of bus ports in Somnath and Ambaji. This initiative aims to enhance connectivity and passenger amenities at major pilgrimage sites.
Alongside promoting tourism, the budget also supports significant infrastructure expenditure, including substantial allocations for roads and public transport. This is expected to facilitate access to key destinations during Gujarat Tourism Year 2026.
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