FHRAI Urges Key Reforms in Budget 2025-26 to Boost Hospitality

FHRAI Urges Key Reforms in Budget 2025-26 to Boost Hospitality

By Nishang Narayan

Published on January 19, 2025

The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), one of the world’s largest hospitality associations, has outlined a series of reforms it hopes to see in the Union Budget 2025-26. Representing over 60,000 hotels and 500,000 restaurants nationwide, FHRAI emphasized that these changes are critical for bolstering investment, creating jobs, and driving the growth of India's hospitality and tourism sector—a significant contributor to the national economy.

Key Recommendations by FHRAI

  1. Infrastructure Status for Smaller Projects
    FHRAI proposes granting infrastructure status to hotel and convention center projects costing ₹10 crore or more. Currently, this status is limited to projects exceeding ₹200 crore for hotels and ₹300 crore for convention centers, along with a requirement for the city population to exceed one million. FHRAI highlights that these restrictions exclude smaller, tourism-rich towns, preventing their access to financing and infrastructure benefits.

    “India’s tourism sector has immense untapped potential in historically significant towns and emerging destinations,” said K Syama Raju, President of FHRAI. “Infrastructure status for smaller projects will unlock growth opportunities in these regions.”

  2. Simplified Licensing and Single-Window Clearance
    FHRAI calls for a single-window clearance system to streamline the complex and time-consuming licensing and approval processes. Simplified regulations would encourage investments and ease operations for hospitality businesses.

  3. GST Rationalization
    The association advocates for rationalizing GST rates to make India more competitive internationally. FHRAI recommends:

    • Delinking GST on restaurants from room tariffs.
    • Revising GST rates for restaurants, banquets, and events.
    • Revisiting GST’s "place of supply" rules to allow input tax credits for services sourced across states, thereby reducing operational costs.
  4. Excise and Liquor Licensing Reforms
    FHRAI emphasizes the need for simplified excise and liquor licensing processes. Drawing inspiration from the FSSAI registration system, the association suggests nominal fees and easier compliance to promote the growth of leisure and entertainment services.

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Addressing Industry Challenges

India’s hospitality sector, known for generating substantial employment and foreign exchange earnings, faces multiple challenges due to restrictive policies. FHRAI asserts that reforms in licensing, taxation, and infrastructure will enhance India’s competitiveness as a global tourism destination.

“Our hospitality and tourism sector is vital to economic growth, yet it operates under significant regulatory burdens,” Raju added. “Budget 2025-26 presents an opportunity for the government to align policies with industry needs, fostering sustainable growth and positioning India as a leader in global tourism.”

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Vision 2047: A $1 Trillion Tourism Economy

By addressing these critical reforms, FHRAI believes India can advance its vision of becoming a $1 trillion tourism economy by 2047. Simplifying regulations, fostering investments, and reducing operational barriers will create jobs, increase foreign exchange earnings, and drive the sector's long-term growth.

About FHRAI

Established in 1955, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) is the apex body of the hospitality industry in India. Representing over 60,000 hotels and 500,000 restaurants, FHRAI serves as a voice for the sector, collaborating with government bodies and international organizations to support the growth of India’s hospitality and tourism industries.


The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa Redefines Luxury Destination Weddings in Rajasthan

The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa Redefines Luxury Destination Weddings in Rajasthan

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on May 12, 2026

The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa is emerging as a sought-after destination for luxury weddings in Rajasthan, bringing together scenic landscapes, elegant venues, curated experiences, and premium hospitality under one roof.

Located amidst the peaceful surroundings of Pushkar and close to the town’s spiritual landmarks, the resort offers panoramic 360-degree views of the Aravalli Hills along with stunning sunset backdrops, creating a memorable setting for wedding celebrations.

The property features four outdoor and two indoor venues designed to host multi-day wedding festivities with ease. One of the standout spaces at the resort is its dome-shaped venue inspired by the Shiv Ling, offering a unique setting for sacred pheras. The expansive lawns and smooth baraat processions within the property further add to the grand wedding experience while ensuring convenience for guests.

The resort houses more than 98 rooms and private villas, including pool villas and plunge pool villas, making it ideal for exclusive wedding buyouts. The spacious accommodation setup allows families and guests to celebrate together in privacy and comfort throughout the festivities.

Adding to the experience are the resort’s wellness and leisure offerings, including its premium spa, multiple swimming pools, and the Westin WORKOUT Fitness Studio. Guests can also enjoy a range of indoor and outdoor recreational activities designed for all age groups.

On the culinary front, the resort offers diverse dining experiences ranging from global cuisine at Seasonal Tastes to rooftop dining with panoramic views at Panorama. The hotel also provides customised wedding menus curated to match the style and preferences of each celebration.

Speaking about the wedding experience at the resort, Vijay Chandran, General Manager, said, “Weddings today are about creating immersive, meaningful experiences, and at The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa, we bring together nature, luxury, and thoughtful service to make every celebration truly personal and memorable. Our aim is to offer couples and their families a seamless, all-in-one destination where every detail is taken care of.”

Combining luxury accommodation, elegant venues, wellness experiences, and personalised hospitality, The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa continues to position itself as a refined destination for unforgettable weddings in Rajasthan.


Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park Unveils Summer Series for Kids with Le Petit Chef Experience

Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park Unveils Summer Series for Kids with Le Petit Chef Experience

By Hariharan U

Published on May 12, 2026

Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park has unveiled a specially curated summer series designed for young diners, bringing an immersive and interactive dining concept to the city through the globally acclaimed experience Le Petit Chef.

Timed with the school summer break, the initiative is aimed at families looking for engaging and memorable dining experiences that go beyond traditional restaurant formats. The highlight of the series is Le Petit Chef, a storytelling-driven culinary presentation where animated chefs appear directly on dining tables, guiding guests through a playful, multi-course gastronomic journey.

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The experience blends projection mapping technology, narrative storytelling, and curated cuisine to transform dining into a theatrical event. Each course is presented as part of a visual story, where the animated chef “prepares” dishes in real time, offering children a highly interactive and imaginative way to engage with food.

At Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park, the summer programming is scheduled every Saturday and Sunday, with additional weekday sessions available on special request. The initiative is designed to cater specifically to young diners, encouraging curiosity, engagement, and family interaction through a shared dining experience.

The hotel has positioned this offering as part of its broader focus on experiential hospitality, where dining is not limited to consumption but extended into storytelling and memory-making. The concept is also intended to offer returning guests a refreshed experience, while introducing first-time visitors to a globally recognised format of immersive dining.

For families, the experience provides a unique alternative to conventional summer outings, combining entertainment with cuisine in a controlled, indoor environment suited for children.

With this initiative, Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park continues to expand its experiential programming, reinforcing its positioning as a destination for innovative family-friendly hospitality experiences in Bengaluru


Opulent Oasis Hospitality Debuts with ‘Wild Calm’ Gir Retreat, Enters Experiential Hospitality Space

Opulent Oasis Hospitality Debuts with ‘Wild Calm’ Gir Retreat, Enters Experiential Hospitality Space

By Hariharan U

Published on May 12, 2026

Opulent Oasis Hospitality Pvt. Ltd. has officially entered the hospitality sector with the launch of its debut experiential retreat, Wild Calm, marking a strategic foray into nature-led and experience-driven travel formats in India.

Founded by hospitality professional Bhavik Sheth, the venture positions itself in the growing experiential tourism segment, aiming to bridge the gap between high-end luxury stays and standardised commercial hospitality offerings. The company’s vision is centred on creating destination-led experiences that prioritise emotional connection, local context, and immersive design over scale-driven expansion.

Located in Sasan Gir, Gujarat, one of India’s most significant wildlife regions, Wild Calm will feature 53 keys, including private pool villas and immersive accommodation formats. The retreat is designed with a strong emphasis on nature integration and experiential living, offering a combination of leisure, wellness, and curated cultural engagement.

The property will include a clubhouse, swimming pool, multi-cuisine restaurant, kitchen garden, and an activity arena for curated programming. Outdoor amenities such as pickleball courts, box cricket facilities, and landscaped green zones including a Miyawaki forest further reinforce the retreat’s nature-first design philosophy.

Guest experiences at Wild Calm are structured around flexible, narrative-driven journeys. These include botanical walks, storytelling sessions, pottery workshops, curated high tea experiences, and slow evening rituals designed to encourage mindfulness and connection with the surrounding ecosystem.

Speaking on the launch, founder Bhavik Sheth said hospitality today has become highly standardised, often losing emotional depth despite operational efficiency. He emphasised that the goal of Opulent Oasis Hospitality is to design spaces that feel intuitive, rooted, and memorable, where experience is embedded into every layer of the stay rather than added as an activity.

Sheth previously worked with Evoke Experiences, where he contributed to the development of large-scale experiential properties such as Rann Utsav, further strengthening his background in destination-led hospitality design.

With Wild Calm as its inaugural project, the company plans a selective expansion strategy across wildlife destinations, eco-tourism circuits, desert landscapes, and culturally rich regions, while also exploring opportunities in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets as well as emerging spiritual tourism segments.

Rather than pursuing rapid portfolio scale, Opulent Oasis Hospitality has indicated a focus on carefully curated destinations with strong ecological and cultural narratives, aligning with the broader shift in India’s travel industry toward experiential and purpose-driven hospitality

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