Staff Reporter
Panaji
For the tourism and hospitality industry, the Union Budget lacked major proposals. However, the noteworthy points include developing 50 tourist destination sites across the country in partnership with states through a challenge mode, focus on religious and spiritual tourism, and a ‘Heal in India’ campaign to promote medical tourism.
Taking a positive view, Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) president Jack Sukhija said the development of 50 destinations will “hopefully fructify into a world-class convention centre and an event venue for the state”.
He pointed out that by increasing the income tax exemption limit to Rs 12.7 lakh in a year, the Budget will boost consumption demand and thereby put more money in the hands of the people to travel.
“The tax proposals as well as the increase in the capital expenditure on connectivity and infrastructure will indirectly help tourism,” said Sukhija.
The Budget proposes to expand the Udan scheme to 120 new destinations, aiming to cater to an additional four crore passengers over the next 10 years. Since its launch in 2016, the Udan scheme has flown 1.5 crore passengers connecting 619 routes.
Further, the Budget plans for significant growth in the aviation sector through an allocation of Rs 2,400 crore in 2025-26 to the Civil Aviation Ministry (which includes Rs 540 crore earmarked specifically for the Udan scheme.)
Former TTAG president Nilesh Shah pointed out that with domestic tourist footfalls in India fueled from tier- 2 and tier-3 cities, the enhancement in air connectivity has the potential of further boost footfall from smaller cities.
“The benefit to Goa is provided the Udan flights touchdown in Goa,” added Shah.
He said that the move to grow the aviation sector is welcome since it means more airlines, more aircrafts and more flight connectivity. “The growth in aviation industry is closely linked to tourism,” said Shah.
