Union Budget 2026–27: Odisha’s Turtle Trails to Get Boost as FM Sitharaman Unveils Tourism Push

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the development of Turtle Trails along key nesting sites in Odisha’s coastal areas, placing the state at the forefront of a major tourism and conservation initiative outlined in the Union Budget 2026–27.

Presenting the Budget in Parliament, Sitharaman said Turtle Trails will also be developed in coastal areas of Karnataka and Kerala as part of a broader strategy to promote ecologically sustainable tourism while generating employment and expanding local economies.

Emphasising the tourism sector’s potential for job creation, foreign exchange earnings and local economic growth, the Finance Minister said the government will strengthen institutional capacity and skill development to support the sector.

As part of this effort, Sitharaman proposed setting up a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology. She said the institute will act as a bridge between academia, industry and the government.

The Finance Minister also announced a pilot scheme to upskill 10,000 tourist guides across 20 iconic tourist sites through a standardised, high-quality 12-week training programme in hybrid mode, to be conducted in collaboration with an Indian Institute of Management.

To digitally preserve and promote India’s tourism assets, Sitharaman said a National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid will be established to document all places of cultural, spiritual and heritage significance. The initiative is expected to create new employment opportunities for local researchers, historians, content creators and technology partners.

Highlighting India’s potential to offer world-class nature-based experiences, the Finance Minister announced the development of ecologically sustainable trekking and hiking trails. These include mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in the Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and Podhigai Malai in the Western Ghats.

In addition to Turtle Trails, Sitharaman said bird-watching trails will be developed along Pulikat Lake in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

She also referred to conservation-led tourism initiatives, noting that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, India established the International Big Cat Alliance in 2024. Sitharaman said India will host the first Global Big Cat Summit this year, with heads of government and ministers from 95 big cat range countries expected to participate.

Under heritage and culture tourism, the Finance Minister proposed developing 15 archaeological sites, including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Adichanallur, Sarnath, Hastinapur and Leh Palace, into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations. She said excavated landscapes will be opened to the public through curated walkways, supported by immersive storytelling skills and technologies to strengthen conservation labs, interpretation centres and guide services.