Budget’s tourism push: What it signals for the temple economy?

On February 1, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman described the Union Budget 2026-27 as delivering an unprecedented boost to tourism, culture and heritage, it was more than a fiscal announcement, it was a directional signal. Rather than viewing tourism as a seasonal or soft-power play, the Budget positioned it as a powerful economic multiplier. Temple towns were framed as drivers of local commerce. Cultural circuits were connected to jobs and MSMEs. Digital initiatives were proposed to enhance visitor experience, while a reduction in TCS for outbound travel signalled a calibrated approach.

One thing that became evident was that India's tourism narrative is being reshaped-from fragmented, campaign-led promotion of destinations to a cohesive, policy-backed ecosystem spanning spirituality, heritage, wellness, sustainability and immersive travel experiences.

For travel brands, online travel agencies (OTAs), devotional-tech platforms and state tourism boards, the Budget announcements translated into both opportunity and urgency.It is a marketing stress test. The spiritual surge is here, and the Budget has intensified it. The question, therefore, is no longer whether tourism will expand, but whether India's tourism marketing strategy is ready for a sustained, post-Budget growth push.

Rikant Pittie, CEO and Co-Founder of EaseMyTrip, says the company is recalibrating its marketing playbook to align with the Budget's focus on religious and heritage tourism. "We are highlighting curated travel packages that celebrate India's cultural legacy. The focus is on targeted promotions for pilgrim circuits and heritage destinations, integrating localised content and leveraging influencer partnerships to amplify reach. Our strategic digital campaigns will spotlight budget-friendly options and immersive experiences tied to key religious festivals and historic sites."

He added that the broader objective is to tap into rising consumer interest in purposeful travel, while strengthening EaseMyTrip's positioning as a value-led platform offering diverse itineraries that resonate with evolving traveller preferences. OTAs Ride The Spiritual Travel Wave

Industry experts told e4m that India's tourism ecosystem is demonstrating structural readiness because demand is already visible at scale. Recent data indicates that Ayodhya received around six crore visitors in December 2025 alone, while Mathura and Vrindavan together attracted over one crore travellers during the New Year period. Such volumes across major religious centres reflect sustained domestic appetite for faith-led and heritage travel, suggesting that growth is not policy-driven in isolation but supported by strong on-ground participation.

Echoing this, Pittie noted that online travel platforms are increasingly helping manage the surge through structured inventory, transparent pricing and enhanced travel planning tools. The government's spotlight on religious, heritage and experiential tourism also aligns with a clear behavioural shift toward meaning-led journeys, something platforms are already witnessing in real time.

For instance, ixigo recorded significant year-on-year growth across pilgrimage destinations in 2025. Varanasi saw a 134% rise in flight bookings, Tirupati grew 102%, Prayagraj 80%, and Ayodhya 54%. Bus bookings surged to Varanasi (+111%), Mathura (+99%) and Ayodhya (+86%), while train demand also rose steadily across key spiritual hubs.

"Spiritual and religious tourism continues to be a cornerstone of the Indian travel industry, with millions undertaking pilgrimages each year. Today, it accounts for nearly 60% of domestic travel in India and the segment is projected to reach $59 billion by 2028, reflecting sustained structural growth," says Aloke Bajpai, Co-founder & Group CEO, ixigo.

He further added that with the government intensifying its focus on developing key pilgrimage and wellness destinations, including temple corridors and infrastructure upgrades, there is strong alignment between policy direction and evolving traveller demand. "Our strategy remains centred on enabling seamless, tech-driven access to these destinations while supporting India's growing appetite for culturally meaningful travel," Bajpai notes.

Faith-Tech Finds Its Growth Moment

The expansion is not just limited to ticketing platforms. Faith-tech apps are also witnessing a parallel surge.

According to Prashant Sachan, Founder and CEO, Sri Mandir, accommodation bookings across 56 major pilgrimage destinations grew approximately 19% in FY 2024-25, with both traditional hubs such as Varanasi and emerging spiritual circuits reporting double-digit demand growth. He views this as part of a broader behavioural shift where devotional exploration increasingly influences trip planning and spending.

"For platforms like Sri Mandir, the opportunity lies in deepening digital engagement. Tourism marketing, Sachan suggests, must move beyond seasonal spikes and festival-led promotion toward year-round community building - using content, data and personalised digital touchpoints to connect devotees with authentic experiences, not just destinations," Sachan added

Commenting on the budget announcements, Giresh Vasudev Kulkarni, Founder of Temple Connect and ITCX International Temples Convention and EXPO, noted that the 25,000 crore allocation per Cultural and Economic Region (CER) over five years could help modernise temple infrastructure, improve hygiene and safety standards, and convert rising visitor numbers into higher transaction value revenues. He argued that temple towns can evolve into self-sustaining economic engines, generating livelihoods for artisans, vendors, transport operators, MSMEs and hospitality players, while preserving sanctity and cultural integrity. Until now, he observes, the temple ecosystem functioned like "the most organised-unorganised sector", with immense scale but limited formal integration. The Budget, in that sense, marks a step toward institutionalising and empowering what he calls an "Empowered Temple Economy".

Tourism's Shift From Messaging To Management

Several experts point out that the post-Budget phase is likely to trigger a rise in marketing spends across digital, retail media and creator-led platforms, but with a visible shift in intent.

Rajesh Radhakrishnan, Co-Founder & CMO, Vritti iMedia, believes that tourism, particularly spiritual and experiential travel, is no longer merely a promotional opportunity; it is evolving into a responsibility-driven ecosystem involving government bodies, brands and local stakeholders. Demand today is increasingly concentrated around large religious congregations and yatra-led destinations, where traveller concerns extend well beyond inspiration to include safety, navigation, hygiene and comfort.

Digital platforms, he says, will continue to drive intent-based targeting and journey planning. Retail media linked to mobility, ticketing and on-ground commerce is expected to draw stronger investments, as brands aim to influence decisions closer to the point of travel. Influencer marketing, too, is maturing, shifting from aspirational visuals to experience-led storytelling that reflects real journeys, on-ground challenges and authentic cultural immersion.

Radhakrishnan further highlighted the growing importance of hyperlocal, non-traditional media environments, including transit zones, bus stands, yatra routes and inter-city mobility hubs, as critical touchpoints. In these spaces, travellers are actively seeking information and reassurance, making audio-led communication, local-language messaging and utility-driven brand presence significantly more impactful than conventional advertising formats.

The post-Budget opportunity, experts say therefore, is not merely about driving higher footfalls. It lies in building collaborative ecosystems, where marketing, infrastructure, digital enablement and community participation converge to create destinations that travellers feel supported in, not just drawn to.

India has always possessed cultural depth. Budget 2026-27 suggests it now carries policy momentum. The next test will be whether its tourism marketing strategy can rise to meet both.