The Union government on Sunday proposed to set up five regional medical tourism hubs, a ‘National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid’ to digitally document all places of significance across the country, ecologically sustainable cultural destinations, and a pilot scheme for upskilling 10,000 guides in 20 iconic tourist sites.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in Budget 2026-27, said, “To promote India as a hub for medical tourism services, I propose to launch a scheme to support states in establishing five regional medical hubs, in partnership with the private sector.”She said these hubs will serve as integrated healthcare complexes that combine medical, educational, and research facilities. “They will have AYUSH Centres, Medical Value Tourism Facilitation Centres, and infrastructure for diagnostics, post-care, and rehabilitation. These hubs will provide diverse job opportunities for health professionals, including doctors and AHPs (allied health professionals).”India was ranked 10th in the Medical Tourism Index (MTI) for 2020-21 out of 46 destinations in the world by the Medical Tourism Association. Medical tourism is a growing sector in the country, with maximum patient arrivals from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the SAARC region, according to a report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The government had also created the Ayush Visa category for foreign nationals to promote travel healthcare in India.The minister also announced a National Institute of Hospitality by upgrading the existing National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology, which will function as a “bridge between academia, industry, and the government”.According to the government, the ‘National Destination Digital Knowledge Grid’ will be established to digitally document all places of significance, cultural, spiritual, and heritage. This initiative, it said, will create a new ecosystem of jobs for local researchers, historians, content creators, and technology partners.A pilot scheme was also announced for upskilling 10,000 guides in 20 iconic tourist sites through a standardised, high-quality 12-week training course in hybrid mode, in collaboration with an Indian Institute of Management.The Budget 2026-27 also talked about developing ecologically sustainable tourist destinations with respect to mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir; Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats; and Podhigai Malai in the Western Ghats.”Turtle Trails along key nesting sites will be developed in 14 coastal areas of Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala. Bird watching trails along the Pulikat lake in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will also be set up,” it said.Environmentalists hailed the step, saying it was high time the ruling dispensation took the impact of “senseless tourism” in the country.”Ecologically sustainable tourist destinations are the need of the hour. The government should wake up and address the deep impact of irresponsible tourist activities on the environment. Those found littering and defacing historical monuments should be strictly dealt with,” an official of ‘Green The Gap’ said.Sitharaman also proposed to develop 15 archaeological sites, including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Adichanallur, Sarnath, Hastinapur, and Leh Palace into “vibrant and experiential cultural destinations”.“Excavated landscapes will be opened to the public through curated walkways. Immersive storytelling skills and technologies will be introduced to help conservation labs, interpretation centres, and guides.”I also propose the development of an integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor with a well-connected node at Durgapur, creation of five tourism destinations in Purvodaya States, and the provision of 4,000 e-buses,” she said in her Budget speech.The Purvodaya scheme is a government initiative focused on the accelerated development of the eastern region of India, encompassing states like Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.The finance minister further proposed to develop Buddhist circuits in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. The scheme will cover preservation of temples and monasteries, pilgrimage interpretation centers, connectivity, and pilgrim amenities.The announcements stand crucial with the BJP government’s thrust on developing the tourism industry. The reduction of Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas tour packages, from up to 20% to a flat 2%, is expected to ease cash-flow pressures and give an impetus to Indian travellers.Wider investment in transport and infrastructure, including seven proposed high-speed rail corridors and expanded inland waterways and coastal shipping, is also expected to get high returns for the tourism industry.