Budget proposal to upskill tour guides at major destinations to boost tourism in Maharashtra

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Union Budget presented on Sunday, proposed a scheme to upskill 10,000 tourist guides across 20 major tourist destinations, a move expected to benefit heritage hubs such as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, which draw large number of domestic and foreign tourists every year.As announced in the Budget, the scheme envisages a standardised, high-quality 12-week training programme to be conducted in hybrid mode, combining online modules with field-based learning. The course is to be implemented in collaboration with an Indian Institute of Management and is aimed at professionalising guiding services, upgrading skills, and improving the overall tourist experience at prominent destinations.Tourism officials said the initiative forms part of Centre's broader focus on tourism as a key engine for employment generation and local economic growth. By ensuring uniform training standards, govt aims to equip tourist guides with better historical knowledge, communication skills, visitor management techniques, and exposure to global best practices.Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, often described as the tourism capital of Maharashtra, is widely seen as a natural beneficiary of the scheme. The district is the only one in the country to have two Unesco World Heritage Sites — the Ajanta and Ellora caves — which together attract lakhs of visitors annually. In addition, the city is home to several other major attractions, including Bibi ka Maqbara, often referred to as the ‘Taj of the Deccan', the 17th-century Panchakki water mill, and remnants of its historic fortifications, which once included 52 city gates.Welcoming the Budget announcement, Tajinder Singh Gulati, the secretary of the Aurangabad Tourist Guide Welfare Association, said the city currently has a limited pool of licensed guides. "Currently, there are about 50 guides, and of them, 35 are active. If we get another 50 trained guides, it will be adequate to cater to the tourists. We expect that the training will hone skills and upgrade knowledge," Gulati said.However, some guides urged govt to adopt a calibrated approach while implementing the scheme. Syed Hasan, a senior tourist guide, said the authorities should first assess the actual requirement of guides at individual destinations. "Govt should first carry out a survey and draw a conclusion on the required number of guides at each of the cities with tourism centres. Having an excess number of tourist guides will hamper the profession," Hasan said.He also stressed on the need to support existing guides, particularly during lean periods. "Moreover, govt should draw up a plan to train the existing guides and help them make ends meet during the off-season, when there is barely any earning," he added.Tourism experts said if implemented with proper planning, the upskilling programme could significantly enhance the quality of guided tours and strengthen the city's appeal on the global tourism map. Detailed guidelines on site selection, enrolment, and timelines are expected to be announced in the coming months, a senior official of the tourism department said.