Tamil Nadu tourism received a push in the Union Budget 2026. Pothigai Hills in the Western Ghats is among the ecologically sustainable tourism trails to be developed. The proposal is expected to boost eco-tourism, create local jobs, and improve trekking infrastructure. Another key inclusion is Pulicat Lake in the bird-watching trails planned under the national ecotourism initiative. Though Pulicat has long figured on the state’s tourism map, largely for its migratory birds and lagoon ecosystem, this is the first time it has received attention at the national-policy level.Meanwhile, Adichanallur is one of the 15 archaeological sites set to become experiential cultural destinations. According to the Union Budget, excavated landscapes such as Adhichanallur will be opened to the public through curated walkways. “Immersive storytelling skills and technologies will be introduced to help conservation labs, interpretation centres and guides,” Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget speech.Adhichanallur was one of the earliest archaeological excavations conducted in South India. “British archaeologist Alexander Rea, who excavated the site from 1899 to 1905, noted that more than 25% of pottery found in the burial urns at Adichanallur were extremely rare. It is also a culturally significant site, as similar objects were found in places up to Maharashtra,” said T Sathyamurthy, former superintending archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).During excavations in 2022, the ASI found royal burials, containing gold diadems (headbands), copper objects, and skeletal remains. This site could be converted into an open-air museum at Adichanallur. The recent announcement of an Iron Age date (scientific dating of materials) of 3345 BCE at Sivagalai also renewed interest among scholars about Adichanallur.Tourism stakeholders say several such destinations have long existed within the state tourism grid, but without the scale of investment or branding that national programmes can bring. “Tamil Nadu has all types of tourism except snowfall destinations. Private players have been promoting adventure, eco, and coastal tourism in their own way. With this push, the state’s tourism industry will witness a strong boost,” said Mohammed A Afzal, convenor, tourism, SICCI and FICCI, and national vice president of Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India.Sriharan Balan, managing director, Madura Travels, said proposals to build world-class hospitality talent, train professional guides and reimagine heritage sites could add depth to destinations that have remained underplayed despite their historical and ecological value. “The budget sets a bold, future-ready vision for India’s tourism and connectivity ecosystem,” he said.
