Pre-Budget 2026: Travel & Hospitality Seek Policy Push to Sustain Demand

Pre-Budget 2026: Travel & Hospitality Seek Policy Push to Sustain Demand

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


Papa Johns India Celebrates Father’s Day with Interactive Pizza-Making Experience

Papa Johns India Celebrates Father’s Day with Interactive Pizza-Making Experience

By Hariharan U

Published on June 21, 2026

Papa Johns India marked Father’s Day with a unique and interactive celebration, hosting a special pizza-making experience for fathers and their children at its Hennur and Kasturi Nagar outlets in Bengaluru on June 21, 2026.

Designed to encourage meaningful family bonding, the event brought together registered father-child duos for a hands-on culinary session where participants created their own pizzas under the guidance of Papa Johns chefs. The initiative aimed to transform a traditional dining experience into an engaging activity centred around togetherness and shared memories.

During the event, participants wore branded aprons and caps while learning the art of pizza-making from scratch. The experience also featured Father’s Day-themed games, instant photography sessions, Polaroid keepsakes, and interactive activities designed to make the celebration memorable for families.

Commenting on the initiative, Prashant Mehta, Director of Papa Johns India, said the brand views Father’s Day as an opportunity to celebrate family connections and create meaningful experiences beyond dining. He noted that the event was designed to bring families together through teamwork, creativity, and shared moments in the kitchen.

The sessions concluded with pizza tasting, trivia activities, and group photographs, allowing participants to enjoy the creations they made together.

Through this experience-led activation, Papa Johns India continues to strengthen customer engagement while showcasing the craftsmanship, quality ingredients, and preparation techniques that define its pizzas. The initiative reflects the brand’s growing focus on creating memorable in-store experiences that connect customers with the food and the people they share it with.

Operated in India by PJP Foods India Private Limited under the Ambrosia QSR platform, Papa Johns India continues to expand its presence through dine-in, takeaway, and delivery formats while staying true to its global promise of “Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.”


Summit Hotels Begins FY2026-27 with Nearly 40% Growth, Driven by Sikkim and Darjeeling Demand

Summit Hotels Begins FY2026-27 with Nearly 40% Growth, Driven by Sikkim and Darjeeling Demand

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on June 14, 2026

Summit Hotels & Resorts has started FY2026-27 on a strong note, reporting nearly 40% growth in business during April and May. The company attributes the performance to continued demand for leisure travel in the Eastern Himalayas and the growing preference among travellers for established regional hospitality brands.

During the first two months of the financial year, the hospitality group sold more than 37,000 room nights, with occupancy across its portfolio reaching 78.9%. Average room rates also crossed ₹6,000, highlighting stronger pricing power across several key destinations.

The growth comes despite a temporary slowdown in travel activity in parts of eastern India during the West Bengal Assembly election period. According to the company, destinations across Sikkim and the Darjeeling Hills were the strongest contributors to performance, supported by repeat guests and rising demand for premium mountain getaways.

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Commenting on the performance, Sumit Mitruka, CEO, Summit Hotels & Resorts, said, "We entered the year expecting healthy demand, but the pace of bookings has been stronger than anticipated. What stands out is not just the occupancy but the ability of travellers to continue choosing these destinations despite temporary disruptions. The appetite for experiential leisure travel remains strong, and we are seeing that translate into both room revenue and higher spending within our hotels."

Alongside room revenues, the company also reported healthy growth in food and beverage sales during the period. Guest review scores remained among the highest across its operating markets, reflecting strong customer satisfaction levels.

Building on this momentum, Summit Hotels is now expanding its business model beyond its owned and managed properties in the Eastern Himalayas. The company is actively seeking partnerships with independent hotels, boutique resorts, heritage properties, wildlife lodges, and spiritual retreat destinations across India.

The initiative is designed for hotel owners looking to benefit from organised distribution channels and professional revenue management while retaining ownership and operational control of their properties.

Unlike conventional affiliation models that often require significant upfront investments, Summit's partnership approach focuses on shared growth. Partner properties can maintain their individual identity while gaining access to the company's central reservation system, revenue management expertise, digital marketing support, technology platforms, and hospitality manpower network.

Having completed 18 years in the hospitality industry, Summit believes significant opportunities exist within India's large independent hotel sector, where many properties have strong local appeal but limited access to organised brand support and distribution systems.

With booking momentum continuing into June and advance reservations already nearing last year's levels, the company remains optimistic about sustained demand across leisure and destination travel markets in the coming quarters.


Suba Hotels Ltd Reports Record ₹115.89 Cr Revenue in FY26, Expands to 100+ Hotels

Suba Hotels Ltd Reports Record ₹115.89 Cr Revenue in FY26, Expands to 100+ Hotels

By Hariharan U

Published on June 12, 2026

Suba Hotels Limited (NSE – SME: SUBAHOTELS) has announced its audited financial results for the year ended March 31, 2026, reporting its strongest-ever annual performance alongside significant expansion across its hotel portfolio.

The company’s total revenue rose to ₹115.89 crore in FY26, marking a 45% year-on-year growth. EBITDA increased by 13% to ₹26.82 crore, while Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at ₹18.01 crore, reflecting a 19% rise compared to FY25.

Commenting on the performance, Managing Director Mansur Mehta said FY26 has been a landmark year for the company, driven by strong execution and expansion across markets. Suba Hotels expanded its presence to over 102 operational hotels, 4,660+ keys, and 73 destinations during the year.

He highlighted that one of the company’s key strengths lies in its ability to operate across all five hospitality business models management contracts, revenue sharing, franchising, asset ownership, and hybrid structures, making Suba Hotels one of the few hospitality players in India with such a diversified operational framework.

This flexibility allows us to partner with hotel owners effectively and accelerate expansion across segments,” he said.

CEO Mubeen Mehta noted that the scale achieved in FY26 reflects the strength of the company’s operating platform and execution capabilities. He added that revenue growth was supported by network expansion and improved business volumes across brands.

He also pointed out that EBITDA and PAT margins were impacted due to changes in the GST framework, which led to the loss of input tax credit benefits on certain operating expenses, increasing the overall cost base.

Looking ahead, the company plans to continue expanding through asset-light models, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening its presence in high-growth markets. With a strong pipeline and over 100 hotels already operational, Suba Hotels remains confident of sustaining its growth trajectory.

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