The Union Budget 2026–27 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman included several major measures to support India’s travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. Key highlights include the proposal to set up a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing hotel management council to strengthen skills and industry-academia linkages. A pilot scheme was announced to up skill 10,000 tourist guides across 20 iconic destinations, and a National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid will be created to digitally map cultural, spiritual and heritage sites. The Budget also cut the Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas tour packages to a flat 2 %, making international travel more affordable for Indian travelers.
