Gandhinagar: Gujarat will develop modern homestays in 100 selected villages under its new homestay policy, the state government announced on World Tourism Day on Sunday.

The announcement came at an event at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, where Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi launched the official logo of ‘Gujarat Tourism Year 2026-27’ and a new film shooting permission portal.

Under the policy, the selected villages will get homestay facilities that retain their traditional character while offering modern amenities, as part of a push to grow rural and community-based tourism and create jobs.

The government will also train more than 1,000 additional tourist guides to create employment for young people. It will consider gap funding for tour operators to attract international tourists to festivals such as Kawant Holi, Uttarayan and Navratri, and destinations including Dharoi Water Reservoir and Shivrajpur.

Sanghavi urged hotels, restaurants, tour operators and taxi and rickshaw drivers to focus on cleanliness, health and courteous behaviour. Minister of State for Tourism Jayram Gamit also attended the programme.

The move aims to spread tourism income into rural and tribal areas of Gujarat.