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How many educated people will be able to become tourist guides, and how will job options be created for them?

In Budget 2026, the government announced plans to train 10,000 educated youth as tourist guides, which will create a significant number of jobs in the tourism sector.

Budget 2026 brings new hope for educated youth in the country. Presenting her ninth budget in the Lok Sabha, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a major announcement regarding employment in the tourism industry. This announcement will directly benefit those young people who want to work in a way that connects with travel, nature, and people. The government has clarified that 10,000 new tourist guides will be trained in the coming time.

Under this government scheme, 10,000 educated youth across the country will be trained as tourist guides. This training will be provided specifically at India's famous tourist destinations. This clearly means that direct employment in the tourism sector is about to be created for thousands of young people. The aim of this scheme is not only to increase the number of guides, but also to develop trained and knowledgeable guides who can provide a better experience to tourists from India and abroad.

12-Week Special Training Course

The Finance Minister announced that the government will launch a 12-week standard and high-quality training course in collaboration with leading institutions like IIMs. This course will be conducted in a hybrid mode, meaning some training will be conducted online and some offline. This course will upskill guides at 20 major tourist destinations in the country. It will teach essential aspects such as history, culture, local language, environmental understanding, tourist behavior, and safety.

How will job options open up?

Becoming a tourist guide will open up a variety of job opportunities for young people. They can work with government and private tour companies. They will also find work opportunities in hotels, travel agencies, adventure tour operators, and online travel platforms.

Most importantly, with the increasing emphasis on ecotourism and nature-based travel, the demand for ecotourist guides will increase rapidly. This will be a golden opportunity for guides working in mountains, forests, lakes, and trekking routes.

Mountain Trails Will Increase Employment

The budget also announced the construction of new mountain trails in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Sustainable trails will also be developed in areas like the Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and Pudigai Malai in the Western Ghats. These trails will provide employment opportunities for local youth as tourist guides, trek leaders, and nature guides. This will increase employment in rural and hilly areas.

Opportunities in Wildlife Tourism

The government has also announced plans to promote wildlife tourism. Under this initiative, turtle trails, nesting sites, and bird-watching trails around Pulicat Lake will be developed in Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala. These areas will require guides with a deep knowledge of nature, birds, and wildlife. This will open up new employment opportunities for environmentally conscious youth.