Budget expectations: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting the interim budget on February 1. The tourism and hospitality sector has high hopes for helpful government policies to cater to the rising domestic tourism demand with quality infrastructure and services. For years, the hospitality industry has been advocating for infrastructure status, which would grant hotel projects access to affordable debt on par with other industries. This status promises reduced capital costs, positively impacting project completion timelines, financial well-being, and ultimately improving service quality, infrastructure, and competitiveness.