Budget 2026–27: FM Announces Major Push For Tourism, Skills and Heritage Conservation

New Delhi, Feb 1 (KNN) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Union Budget 2026–27, announced a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening tourism infrastructure, skill development, and heritage conservation across the country, highlighting the sector’s potential to generate employment, earn foreign exchange, and expand local economies.

As per the Budget proposal, a National Institute of Hospitality will be established to act as a bridge between academia, industry, and the government, with the objective of improving professional standards and workforce readiness in the hospitality sector.

Sitharaman said that as part of capacity-building measures, a pilot programme will be launched to upskill 10,000 tourist guides across 20 iconic tourist destinations to enhance visitor experience and service quality.

The government also plans to set up a National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid to digitally document and catalogue places of historical, cultural, and tourism significance, enabling improved planning, preservation, and public access to information.

In line with sustainable tourism objectives, ecologically sensitive mountain trails, turtle trails, and bird-watching trails will be developed in select states to promote nature-based tourism while ensuring environmental conservation.

Sitharaman said that India will host its first-ever Global Big Cat Summit, aimed at strengthening international cooperation on wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection.

(KNN Bureau)