50 New Tourist Spots on Anvil to Boost Jobs

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced a comprehensive plan to transform 50 destinations into world-class tourist hubs as part of the Union Budget 2025-26, marking a significant push to develop India's tourism sector.

- Vrinda Tulsian

NEW DELHI:

The initiative, which includes development of Buddhist circuits and medical tourism facilities, comes with a substantial increase in the tourism ministry's budget allocation to ₹2,541.06 crore for 2025-26, up from the revised estimate of ₹850.36 crore in 2024-25.

"The government's approach to tourism will focus on employment-led growth," Sitharaman said in her budget speech on Saturday. She explained that the development would follow a "challenge mode," requiring states to contribute land for infrastructure development.