Union budget 2018: know what the tourism industry in India is expecting

The Indian travel community has pinned reasonable hopes on the Budget 2018. Each year, the government introduces its yearly budget to improve the Indian economy. Considering the untapped, immense potential of the tourism industry in India, the travel sector is waiting with bated breath to know what Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will bring for them in the 2018 federal budget. Ahead, let us take a look at the union budget 2018 expectations of the tourism industry under the current GST regime.
Improving infrastructure: The industry wants the city airports in India to be clutter-free. Besides, there are expectations galore for better quality roads. Pooling in more investments to set up mid-budget and quality hotels, public conveniences in and around tourist spots, and enhanced safety measures for tourists, more so for women, are other promises the industry wants from the new budget. Suggestions have been given to provide direct and indirect tax benefits to persons engaged in encouraging and delivering travel and tourism services in order to push travel and spending.
Streamlining taxes: Tour operators may have the choice to pay GST at 12 percent with full input tax credit, besides existing rate at 5 percent, minus Input Tax Credit. This measure will bring down travelling costs in India. Increasing investments for building tourism infrastructure such as new passenger trains, constructing roads in and around tourist places, and reducing tax on hotel tariffs will be favourable for tour operators.
Rationalising taxes and removing inequality in aviation turbine fuel: The tourism sector believes that it is important to rationalise the taxes across all hotel categories and getting done with the distinction that is prevalent in aviation turbine fuel, which influences the domestic flight fares in India in order to give the much-needed fillip to domestic tourism. If the domestic tourism market grows, so will be the number of employment opportunities in the country.