India's Budget 2026, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has unveiled a significant push towards developing and promoting mountain trails across the country, with a focus on ecological sustainability. The budget aims to boost tourism, generate employment in hill states, and expand the local economy.
The Finance Minister highlighted India's untapped potential in adventure and nature-based tourism, emphasizing the role of the tourism sector in employment generation and foreign exchange earnings. The budget proposes developing ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir, as well as in the Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and Podhigai Malai in the Western Ghats.
In addition to mountain trails, the budget includes plans for turtle trails along nesting sites in Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala, and bird-watching routes around Pulicat Lake in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. These initiatives aim to place nature-based and adventure tourism firmly within the policy framework.
The focus on ecologically sustainable trails is crucial, considering the potential strain on fragile ecosystems due to increased human presence. Experts emphasize the importance of how the government plans to ensure the trails' ecological sustainability. The budget also addresses the need for skilled guides to enhance visitor experiences, support local employment, and raise service standards. To this end, the government plans to train 10,000 tourist guides.
Furthermore, the Union Budget 2026 proposes the development of 15 archaeological sites into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations, including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Adichanallur, Sarnath, Hastinapur, and Leh Palace. These sites will feature curated walkways and immersive storytelling technologies.
To boost tourism in the Northeast, the budget proposes a scheme to develop Buddhist circuits in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, covering the preservation of temples and monasteries.
The Budget 2026 also emphasizes improving connectivity to enhance tourism and economic growth. Seven high-speed rail corridors are planned, linking Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Siliguri, among other routes. These corridors aim to cut travel times, reduce emissions, and connect major economic hubs. The budget also proposes new dedicated freight corridors and the operationalization of 20 national waterways over the next five years.
Overall, Budget 2026 aims to position tourism as a key driver of employment-led growth, with an emphasis on destination development, improved connectivity, and greater private participation. The initiatives in the budget are expected to enhance India's global tourism appeal and boost inbound travel. While the budgetary allocation for the tourism sector saw a marginal dip from ₹2,541.06 crore in 2025-26 to ₹2,438 crore in 2026-27, the focus on sustainable and experiential tourism signals a strategic shift.