Budget 2026: 10,000 Tourist Guides to be Trained, IIM to Provide Training

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the training of 10,000 new tourist guides in the country as part of Budget 2026.
• IIMs will collaborate to provide a 12-week hybrid training course for these guides at 20 famous tourist destinations.
• The government plans to upgrade the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology into a National Institute of Hospitality.
• Emphasis is placed on eco-tourism, with sustainable mountain trails to be built in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
• Special trails for wildlife tourism, including turtle nesting sites and bird-watching trails, will also be developed.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 focuses on boosting tourism through training 10,000 guides and developing eco-tourism infrastructure.