With the Union Budget 2026 scheduled for 1st February, voices from the hospitality, travel, and premium lifestyle sectors are sharing their expectations from the upcoming budget. Industry leaders believe the budget presents an important opportunity to strengthen India’s post-pandemic tourism recovery while addressing long-standing structural challenges.

Dr Vikas Katoch, Founder and CEO of Adotrip, noted that India’s travel and tourism industry continues to show strong momentum, driven by rising disposable incomes, better connectivity, and growing interest in domestic, international, and luxury travel. He highlighted that one of the key expectations from Budget 2026 is the rationalisation of the GST framework for the travel and hospitality sector.

According to him, the existing GST structure remains fragmented and cost-intensive in certain areas, impacting both consumer pricing and business margins. A more unified and streamlined tax framework could improve affordability for travellers, encourage higher spending, and create healthier competition, while also enabling companies to reinvest in service quality, technology, and product development.

He further emphasised the need to simplify regulatory compliance, particularly for startups, boutique hotels, and regional properties that currently face complex approval and reporting processes. Dr Katoch shared that the Budget for 2026 must focus on streamlining regulatory systems, including one-window approvals, to allow businesses to concentrate on innovation, expansion, and geographic development.

Access to credit remains another key concern for the travel and tourism industry. Despite its strong potential to generate employment, boost regional development, and contribute to GDP, the sector, largely dominated by MSMEs, continues to face challenges in securing affordable financial support. Dr Katoch suggested that the Union Budget should look at improving credit accessibility through measures such as inclusion under priority sector lending. Improved access to finance could support expansion into new tourism circuits and niche segments such as eco-tourism, wellness tourism, adventure tourism, and heritage tourism.

Speaking on luxury travel, Dr Katoch pointed out that demand for heritage stays, personalised experiences, and ultra-luxury travel is growing rapidly in India. He stressed that continued investment in infrastructure, road connectivity, cleanliness, and air connectivity would help India attract high-spending international visitors as well as discerning domestic travellers. He added that strengthening this segment would not only enhance India’s global positioning but also generate significant employment across the travel ecosystem. He concluded by stating that continued government support for sustainable tourism, heritage circuits, and domestic travel promotion in Budget 2026 could unlock higher economic value, inclusive growth, and employment through tourism.

Sharing views from the premium beverage segment, Aman Swetta, Cofounder of Cristal Azul, highlighted that the imported alcobev sector is seeking clarity and consistency rather than concessions from the upcoming budget. He said, “As the Union Budget approaches, the imported alcobev sector is looking less for concessions and more for clarity, consistency, and transparency.”

He explained that imported spirits currently operate under a fragmented framework, with central tariffs and state-level excise structures varying widely. According to him, greater standardisation of duties and clearer classification norms would improve price predictability, compliance, and ease of doing business for both international brands and Indian partners. He also welcomed recent progress in trade discussions with the European Union, including proposed tariff rationalisation on certain alcoholic beverages, and suggested that similar balanced engagement with other producing regions such as Mexico could further align India with global best practices.

Aman Swetta added that tequila is seeing growing interest in India’s urban markets, driven by premiumisation and lifestyle shifts. He noted that consumers are increasingly seeking transparency in provenance, ingredients, and production, favouring well-regulated and quality-led categories. From a Budget 2026 perspective, he emphasised that policy coherence across tariffs, state duties, and taxation mechanisms, along with predictable regulatory processes, would support responsible sector growth while ensuring sustained government revenue and wider consumer choice.