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By Hariharan U
Published on January 30, 2026
As the Union Budget 2026 approaches, India’s travel and hospitality sector is looking to policy support to consolidate the strong demand witnessed across domestic and international travel segments. While occupancies and travel intent remain healthy, industry leaders believe structural reforms are essential to ensure long-term, quality-led growth and global competitiveness.
The hospitality sector continues to benefit from experiential travel, destination weddings and wellness-led stays. However, industry stakeholders point out that high capital costs and limited access to long-term financing continue to put pressure on returns. Granting infrastructure status, offering tax incentives on capital expenditure and improving access to institutional credit are widely seen as critical steps to enable sustainable expansion across destinations.
Digital travel platforms and alternative accommodation providers are also playing an increasingly important role in shaping India’s tourism ecosystem. With demand rising for hotels, homestays and BnBs across Tier-II and Tier-III cities, the industry has reiterated the need for GST rationalisation, especially in the mid-scale segment, to keep travel affordable and ensure price consistency. Support for integrated digital booking platforms and skill development across tourism services is expected to improve transparency and enhance the overall traveller experience.
Outbound travel remains a key focus area ahead of the Budget, particularly as luxury and experiential travel from India gains momentum. Louis D’Souza, Managing Partner, Tamarind Global, says, “As luxury and experiential travel from India continues to gain momentum, the Union Budget can play a pivotal role in shaping both outbound and inbound travel sentiment. On the outbound side, high-spending Indian travellers are increasingly investing in curated, design-led experiences, but policies around TCS and forex costs continue to influence booking timelines and destination choices. Easing these financial frictions would boost travel confidence and encourage travellers to upgrade experiences rather than compromise on quality.”
He further adds, “Equally important is the opportunity to strengthen India's inbound tourism narrative. With global travellers seeking authentic, immersive journeys, India's rich cultural heritage, wellness offerings, luxury hospitality, and emerging experiential circuits are uniquely positioned to attract high-value inbound travellers. Strategic budgetary support for destination marketing, infrastructure upgrades, simplified visa processes, and enhanced connectivity can significantly elevate India's appeal as a premium travel destination.”
Long-haul leisure and island destinations are particularly sensitive to outbound travel costs. Leena Jhugroo, Managing Director, Travel Lounge Leisure & Tours Ltd., notes, “As India's outbound travel market matures, the Union Budget presents an opportunity to unlock sustained long-haul leisure growth. A key expectation from the industry is rationalisation of TCS on overseas tour packages and forex spends, which continues to impact travel affordability and decision-making for Indian consumers.”
She adds, “For island destinations like Mauritius, which are positioned around romance, luxury, wellness, and MICE, easing outbound travel costs would significantly boost bookings. Improved forex policies and incentives for international travel-linked services would further encourage longer stays and higher spends.”
Neighbouring destinations are also closely watching India’s policy direction. Highlighting Sri Lanka’s strong reliance on Indian travellers, Charith DeAlwis, CEO, Unique Lanka Travels, says, “India continues to be one of the most important and consistent source markets for Sri Lanka, driven by strong cultural ties, short travel time, and a growing appetite for nearby international destinations.”
He further states, “As the travel ecosystem evolves, policies that enhance ease of travel, cost transparency, and regional connectivity can play a meaningful role in encouraging more frequent visits and longer stays.”
Within the premium segment, luxury travel operators stress the importance of addressing cost inefficiencies to sustain aspirational demand. Mir Musa Baghirzade, Sales Director, Turalux, says, “The Union Budget is closely watched by the luxury travel sector, as policy decisions directly influence discretionary spending and travel intent. Indian travellers today are aspirational, well-informed, and willing to invest in unique global experiences, but cost inefficiencies, such as high TCS on outbound travel can act as friction points.”
He adds, “Additionally, continued emphasis on digital payments, ease of global banking, and improved forex accessibility would enhance the overall booking experience. Luxury travel is no longer limited to leisure alone; it now extends to wellness retreats, destination celebrations, and immersive experiential escapes.”
Across segments, industry leaders have also called for stronger focus on manpower development, improved aviation connectivity and expansion of air networks to unlock new travel corridors. As the sector enters 2026 with cautious optimism, stakeholders agree that a forward-looking Budget balancing domestic, outbound and inbound tourism priorities could play a defining role in shaping India’s travel growth story
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By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on July 18, 2026
ITC Hotels Ltd reported a strong start to FY27, posting double-digit growth across key financial metrics while continuing to expand its portfolio through its asset-right strategy.
During the first quarter, the company recorded consolidated revenue from operations of ₹936 crore, up 15% year-on-year. EBITDA increased 19% to ₹292 crore, while profit after tax (PAT) rose 36% to ₹182 crore, reflecting steady operational performance despite a challenging business environment.
The company said the quarter was impacted by uncertainty arising from the West Asia conflict, which affected international air travel and contributed to inflationary pressures. Demand remained subdued during April due to weaker foreign tourist arrivals, but travel sentiment improved significantly in May and June, leading to a strong recovery in occupancy and room rates.
Excluding branded residences, revenue from operations grew 10% year-on-year, supported by an 8% increase in room revenue, driven primarily by the retail segment. The company reported a 4% growth in Average Daily Rate (ADR), while occupancy improved by 290 basis points, resulting in an 8% year-on-year growth in RevPAR.
ITC Hotels maintained a 33% RevPAR premium over the industry, highlighting the continued preference for its brands and guest experience.
The company's food and beverage (F&B) revenue grew 11%, led by specialty restaurants and banquet business. Meanwhile, management fees increased 35% year-on-year, supported by strong performance at managed hotels in leisure destinations and the stabilisation of properties added over the previous year.
Operational efficiencies also improved during the quarter, with EBITDA margin (excluding branded residences) expanding by 125 basis points to 31%, driven by growth across rooms, F&B, management fees and ongoing cost management initiatives.
Among its operational highlights, ITC Ratnadipa reported positive EBITDA while retaining its leadership in RevPAR. The company also continued the phased handover of Sapphire Residences, with 16 apartments handed over so far.
As part of its asset-right growth strategy, ITC Hotels completed the acquisition of Kumarakom Resort & Spa and has begun a comprehensive renovation programme. The property is expected to reopen under the ITC Hotels luxury resort and spa brand by the third quarter of FY27.
The company also strengthened its development pipeline by signing eight new hotels across Jaipur, Manesar, Bhubaneswar, Sonipat, Shirdi, Shahjahanpur and Zirakpur. It further marked the signing of the 25th Storii property at Amchong Tea Estate, Guwahati, while the opening of Fortune Bhimtal expanded its presence in the growing leisure travel segment.
On the sustainability front, ITC Hotels commissioned a 1.5 MWp captive solar plant at ITC Grand Bharat, increasing its total installed renewable energy capacity to 52.4 MW.
The company also strengthened its environmental credentials with ITC Royal Bengal becoming its 13th hotel to receive LEED Zero Water Certification, while Welcomhotel Vadodara achieved LEED Platinum Certification, taking the total number of LEED Platinum-certified hotels in its portfolio to 24.
Looking ahead, ITC Hotels said the outlook for India's hospitality sector remains positive, supported by the country's strong economic growth, infrastructure development, rising discretionary spending and favourable demand-supply dynamics, particularly across Tier I cities.
Oriental Hotels Limited (OHL) reported a 20% decline in its consolidated net profit for the first quarter of FY2027, even as the company recorded steady growth in revenue during the period.
According to the company's stock exchange filing, net profit stood at ₹5.3 crore for the April-June quarter, compared to ₹6.6 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.
Despite the decline in profit, revenue from operations increased 3% year-on-year to ₹111 crore, up from ₹108 crore reported in Q1 FY2026.
Following the earnings announcement, Oriental Hotels' shares came under pressure, falling nearly 6% during the trading session. The stock dropped to an intraday low of ₹125 after touching a high of ₹136.40 earlier in the day. It later recovered some of the losses and closed at ₹130.60 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), down ₹2.85 or 2.14%.
The company's stock currently trades below its 52-week high of ₹169, while its 52-week low stands at ₹80.50. Oriental Hotels has a market capitalisation of around ₹2,311 crore.
Commenting on the quarterly performance, Pramod Ranjan, Managing Director & CEO, Oriental Hotels Limited, said:
"OHL in the first quarter of FY2027 reported a steady performance with a EBITDA of Rs 26.6 crores. With extensive asset enhancement initiatives across the OHL portfolio and continued strength in domestic demand, the company is well-positioned to deliver a sustained performance in the quarters ahead."
An associate company of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), Oriental Hotels operates a portfolio of seven properties, including Taj Coromandel, Chennai; Taj Fisherman's Cove Resort & Spa, Chennai; Taj Malabar Resort & Spa, Cochin; Vivanta Coimbatore; Vivanta Mangalore; Gateway Madurai; and Gateway Coonoor.
Published on July 16, 2026
Adie Broswon Breweries (ABB), a division of The Adie Broswon Group, has entered into a long-term manufacturing arrangement with United Breweries Limited (UBL), strengthening its position as a key player in North India’s brewing and manufacturing ecosystem.
The partnership will leverage ABB’s advanced 12 million-case brewing facility, one of the largest brewing infrastructures in the region, enabling the company to support large-scale production requirements for leading beverage companies while enhancing manufacturing capabilities and operational efficiency.
Powered by German brewing technology from Ziemann, ABB’s brewery achieved its highest-ever annual production milestone of more than 5 million cases during FY2025–26. The facility operates on renewable-energy-powered systems and follows globally recognised manufacturing standards, including FSSC 22000 and QMS certifications, highlighting its commitment to quality, food safety, and sustainable operations.
The collaboration comes at a time when India’s beer industry is witnessing a shift towards more specialised manufacturing partnerships. Beverage companies are increasingly adopting strategic production arrangements to optimise regional supply chains, improve asset utilisation, and enhance production flexibility.
Large-scale breweries equipped with advanced technology, certified quality systems, and sustainable infrastructure are becoming increasingly important in supporting the growth and evolving requirements of India’s beverage sector.
The manufacturing arrangement with UBL further reinforces ABB’s capabilities as a reliable brewing partner with the scale, technology, and operational expertise required to support established beer brands across markets.
With its focus on manufacturing excellence, sustainability, and innovation, Adie Broswon Breweries continues to strengthen its role in India’s brewing ecosystem while contributing to the next phase of growth in the country’s beverage industry
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