North-East Hails Budget 2026-27 as Tourism & Infrastructure Game-Changer

Leaders from real estate development and hospitality sectors believe the Budget enhances investor confidence while positioning the North-East as a key beneficiary of India's next growth cycle.

Vikas Agarwal, Managing Director & CEO, SM Developersn on Sunday said the Union Budget 2026-27 clearly signals where India's next phase of investment and development will be anchored - services-driven growth, tourism infrastructure and sustained public capital expenditure.

With capital expenditure rising to Rs 12.2 lakh crore alongside a commitment to fiscal consolidation, he said the Budget reinforces confidence in long-term infrastructure creation without compromising macroeconomic stability.

He highlighted the continued focus on the travel and tourism sector through Swadesh Darshan 2.0, development of key archaeological sites and the launch of Buddhist circuits across the North-East as a deliberate move towards culturally rooted and regionally balanced tourism.

Agarwal also termed the proposal to develop five regional medical tourism hubs as timely, noting that future travel demand will increasingly be driven by pilgrimage towns, wellness destinations and secondary cities rather than metros alone.

The emphasis on improved connectivity, including incentives for seaplane manufacturing and operations, he said, would significantly enhance last-mile access to under-connected destinations and boost the commercial viability of hospitality and mixed-use developments in gateway cities such as Guwahati.

He further underscored that aligning infrastructure investment with human capital initiatives - such as training 10,000 tourist guides and establishing a National Institute of Hospitality - creates a predictable and scalable environment for tourism-linked investments.

Echoing similar views, Vineet Kumar Mishra, General Manager of Novotel, said the Budget sends a strong signal that tourism and hospitality are now being recognised as structured contributors to employment generation, services growth and regional development.

He noted that the emphasis on infrastructure expansion, destination development and professional skilling reflects a mature understanding of the sector's long-term needs.

Mishra described the proposal to upgrade the National Council for Hotel Management into a National Institute of Hospitality as particularly significant, as it addresses the long-standing gap between academic training and industry requirements.

He added that the pilot programme to upskill 10,000 tourist guides at iconic destinations would directly improve service quality and visitor experience - critical for repeat tourism and brand building.

With higher public capital expenditure, improved air and surface connectivity and a focus on Tier-II cities through City Economic Regions, Mishra said cities like Guwahati are well positioned to benefit from increased business travel, MICE tourism, medical travel and cultural circuits.

He concluded that the Budget's emphasis on fiscal stability and services-led growth strengthens demand fundamentals and operational readiness, reinforcing investor confidence in emerging hospitality markets across the Northeast.

- IANS