Tourism: Budget lags vision

Mixed signals for India's tourism as funding cuts clash with the government's long-term growth aspirations

- Varuni Khosla

Tourism and hospitality heads remain cautious about the budgetary announcements for the sector with a substantial cut of 90% in the international promotional campaigns of India. The industry expressed concern about the lack of investment in marketing India's tourism potential abroad, slashed down to ₹3.07 crore per annum.

While many neighbours in Asia have already caught up on their inbound tourist traffic, India still lags behind its 2019 numbers. On Saturday, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman reassured the sector and unveiled an ambitious tourism vision in the Budget for 2025-26, reaffirming a 2023 pledge to develop 50 new destinations as engines of economic growth and employment. However, a closer look at the budget painted a more nuanced picture, with stagnant allocations and underutilized funds.