Mumbai: Tourism, transport, and skills development firmly in focus, Union Budget 2026 has set the tone for a year of accelerated connectivity and destination readiness, offering early signals for how India plans to strengthen its travel ecosystem and visitor experience for the tourism and hospitality sector.
Expanded allocations for modernising rail corridors and boosting regional airports aim to make tier-2 and tier-3 cities more accessible, widening the tourism map beyond traditional hotspots. Funds earmarked for heritage site conservation, smart tourism hubs, and digital ticketing systems aim to enhance visitor experience.
The budget hints at developing thematic tourism circuits such as spiritual, coastal, and wellness tourism to diversify offerings and attract domestic and international travellers. The Centre will develop ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, the Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats, and the Western Ghats.
Turtle trails along key nesting sites in Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala will also be developed, strengthening the push towards low-impact, experience-led tourism. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that 10,000 tourist guides will be trained, signalling a focused move towards building a skilled, job-ready tourism workforce.
The write is the president of Maharashtra Tour Organisers Association
