A Google-commissioned Kantar report highlights a decisive shift in Indian travel preferences, with 72% of travellers less worried about cost and 81% planning to splurge on comfort and value. The trend accelerates overseas where average spending has risen to 3.2 times that of a domestic trip, signalling strong demand for premium travel experiences.

Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Finance Minister, chaired the ninth pre-Budget consultation with 17 tourism and hospitality stakeholders in New Delhi. The meeting, also attended by Pankaj Chaudhary, MoS, Finance; Secretaries of the Department of Economic Affairs and Ministry of Tourism, and the Chief Economic Adviser, is being hailed as a significant step, with the Finance Ministry actively adopting stakeholders’ recommendations ahead of Budget 2026–27.

Kesari Tours has been named Best International Tour Operator of the Year at the India Travel Awards for the second consecutive year. Himanshu Patil, Director, said, “This award truly means a lot to us and motivates us to serve the travel community better. We are excited for 2026, with four new offices and a brighter year ahead.”

Speaking at the ‘Wonderful Indonesia Business Matching’ event in Delhi, Erwin Muhammad Akbar, Minister Counsellor (Economic), Embassy of Indonesia in New Delhi, said, “The Ministry of Tourism aims to attract 740,000 Indian travellers this year, pushing aggressive promotions in the final months to meet the target. The introduction of e-visa on arrival has eased travel, and we hope to include India in our upcoming free-visa list to further boost visitor growth.”

Tshering Thendup Bhutia, Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation, Sikkim, said the state is prioritising sustainability and rural empowerment through its mega homestay initiative, under which more than 1,000 homestays have been allotted to beneficiaries across the state. He emphasised that strong infrastructure is essential for economic progress, noting that the government has taken proactive steps over the past six years to create innovative tourism facilities at key destinations. These efforts, he said, aim to promote responsible tourism while strengthening local livelihoods and preserving Sikkim’s natural and cultural heritage.

According to TeamLease report, India’s travel and hospitality sector is witnessing faster job growth, with Net Employment Change rising to 5.9% in H2 FY26, up from 3.9% in H1. The surge is driven by strong domestic and inbound tourism recovery, increased event-led travel, and rising adoption of digital and experiential service models, boosting industry-wide hiring momentum.

Motherson Air Travel Agencies has been awarded the Most Trusted Tour Operator at the India Travel Awards 2025. Akhilesh Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, said, “Honoured to receive the Most Trusted Tour Operator award. This recognition reflects our team’s dedication, commitment, and consistent efforts to provide reliable, trusted services, inspiring us to continue delivering excellence.”

Sunil Mishra, Hony. Secretary, IATO raised concerns about restrictive visa conditions that limit tourists to specific cities. “If a traveller applies for the Golden Triangle—Delhi, Agra, Jaipur—those cities are mentioned on the visa. The visitor cannot stay in Gurugram or Noida or modify the itinerary. This kind of city-specific visa is extremely restrictive and sends the wrong message,” he explained.

“We are looking to focus more on niche discerning audiences and value tourism more than volume. The India market is evolving towards luxury, as is our strategy, says Sheetal Munshaw, Director, Atout France India, on the sidelines of an insightful panel the NTO hosted on luxury travel to lend perspective on luxury to travel agents as to what the Indian luxury traveller is seeking. Munshaw adds, “They are changing rapidly. This demanding audience are all-year-round travellers seeking unusual accommodation and immersive authentic stays. But luxury clients are changing very quickly, so we need to keep calibrating as well.”

The 13th International Tourism Mart in Gangtok concluded, drawing 39 international stakeholders from 19 countries and over 90 domestic operators. V Vidyavathi, Secretary, MoT, said, “One of the key themes this year is the rise of home state focus tourism, an emerging trend that Northeastern states have been among the first to champion.”