Gujarat to host HYROX and Ironman/Half-Ironman events

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government on Sunday launched the ‘Gujarat Tourism Year 2026-27’ at an event held at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, to mark World Tourism Day.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi unveiled the official Gujarat Tourism Year logo and launched the Gujarat Film Shooting Permission Portal.

Sanghavi called for coordinated efforts by all stakeholders, including hotels, restaurants, tour operators and transport operators, to improve the tourist experience. He emphasized cleanliness, health and soft skills, along with collective participation, as key areas for strengthening the state’s tourism sector.

Sports tourism push

The state announced plans to host major international fitness events as part of its sports tourism strategy. HYROX will be held in Gandhinagar from November 26 to 28, with around 10,000 participants expected, including more than 1,000 international athletes.

An Ironman/Half-Ironman event is also scheduled in Ahmedabad on February 14. The events are expected to bring international participants and visitors to Gujarat.

Homestays and international tourists

Under the new homestay policy, facilities will be developed and promoted in 100 selected villages, with an emphasis on modern amenities while retaining traditional architectural features.

The government also announced gap funding for tour operators to help attract international tourists to cultural festivals such as Kavant Holi, Uttarayan and Navratri, as well as destinations including Dharoi and Shivrajpur.

The state plans to train 1,000 additional tourist guides, creating employment opportunities while strengthening visitor services.

Film shooting portal launched

The Gujarat Film Shooting Permission Portal will provide a single-window digital system for obtaining permissions and No-Objection Certificates required for film shoots. The portal is intended to make the process faster and more transparent and support film-based destination promotion in the state.

Eight MoUs signed

Eight MoUs were signed during the event covering sports tourism, technology, education and skill development.

The agreements include partnerships involving Gujarat Tourism Corporation and HYROX/IRONMAN for sports tourism, BookMyShow for digital ticketing, and institutions including Kutch University, Ahmedabad Management Association, SVNIT, Kaushalya – The Skill University, Tata STRIVE and EDII for skill development and related initiatives.

Several homestay operators and tourist guides were also felicitated as ‘Tourism Champions’. Homestay operator Parth Hadia from Gir Somnath and tourist guide Ketan Giri Goswami from Kutch shared their experiences during the event.

A panel discussion on ‘Hospitality, MICE & Investment’ was also held as part of the World Tourism Day programme.