Category Archives: Exhibitions

Thailand Travel Mart 2017 has ended a successful two-year run in the northern capital of Chiang Mai, and will move to the resort city of Pattaya next year. The event was attended by 423 buyers from 56 countries. Although the main markets of China, India, Russia, Europe and the UK dominated the list, the focus on buyers from the eastern European countries, Latin America and South Africa. Moreover, first-time buyers comprised 47.8 per cent of the total. The theme “Delivering Unique Experiences” was designed to be in line with the overall tourism marketing slogan. All the pre and post-tours were specially selected to include the spectacular range of Royal Projects, Northern Thai museums, restaurants, community-based products and heritage sites in line with that theme. This year, the show was attended by 362 sellers from Thailand and the neighbouring Mekong countries, the vast majority of whom were small & medium sized hotels and boutique resorts emerging by the dozens all over the country. Giving exposure to these SMEs, most of whom cannot afford to attend the large global travel trade events, is  a primary objective of the TTM+. The first knowledge-transfer session was held on the first day, led by Minister Kobkarn on community-based tourism. She was followed by speakers talking on crisis management, culinary tourism and the digital economy. On the third day, around 600 participants from travel & tourism training institutes and entrepreneurs in Chiang Mai benefitted from a day-long seminar series by TAT executives and some of Thailand’s leading private sector executives on market trends. One of the key highlights of the event was a showcase of indigenous products reflecting the best of Northern Thai culture, arts and …

The 10th Conventions India Conclave, a flagship event of the India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) has been finalized to be held in Hyderabad from 29th – 31st August 2017. ICPB will be hosting their annual Conventions India Conclave at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre this time around. This was announced by Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB who also added,“ We will take this opportunity to project ICPB as a parent body for promoting as a convention destination especially when we are working on restructuring of ICPB and strengthening of ICPB .” The theme of the event is Expanding the Boundaries – Mission Possible, focusing on all the segments of MICE. The conclave is expected to have a huge turnout of 250 – 300 delegates comprising stakeholders, corporate heads, the medical fraternity representatives, the scientific community and all other decision makers. Along with them there will be nearly 60 – 70 exhibitors at the conclave. In addition to the B2B meetings this year there will also be an association networking evening, where members will get a chance to interact with all the medical association leaders who are responsible for conducting their events and meeting in India.

The second edition of Travel Wedding Show 2017, a B2B meetings platform for buyers and suppliers of the wedding segment, is scheduled to be held from July 8-9, 2017, at Jaipur Marriott Hotel. The show will be graced by Chief Guest Rajeev Jain, Director – Rashi Entertainment, and Guest of Honour Hema Hariramani, Director–National Sales India at Marriott International. More than 30 high-profile exhibitors including Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre; Taj Hotels & Resorts; The Oberoi Group; AccorHotels; Abu Dhabi Tourism Board; Austria Tourism Board; Ras Al Khaimah Tourism; Destination Canada and a number of others are expected to be present at the event. The show will include a gala dinner on July 8, 2017, where industry experts will address industry participants. The first day will see the presence of 35 wedding trade specialists from all over India, showcasing the variety of weddings they specialise in. For the second day, 35 wedding planners and agents from across the country have been invited to the event. The two-day event, organised by PLG and DDP Exhibitions, addresses the need for a consolidated face-to-face opportunity between the travel and wedding sectors. The show hosts buyers with a range of offerings relevant to the exhibitor’s niche. The focus is on bringing new business opportunities to its exhibitors. Sarika Bhambhani Rawal, General Manager, Travel Wedding Show, said, “The idea is to amalgamate the two vibrant sectors, wedding and travel, a scenario that is seldom witnessed. The show will bring a selected group of people together and facilitate business for the growth of both the industries. Moreover, there will be collision of the two worlds for face-to-face interactions that are more effective. The two-day …

ILTM Asia will become ILTM Asia Pacific and move to Singapore in 2018, taking place from May 21–24 at the Marina Bay Sands hotel. A new event, ILTM China will remain in Shanghai in October 2018, to be re-focused for buyers and planners of outbound luxury travel from China. The changes were announced at the ILTM Asia 2017 Opening Forum in Shanghai last night by ILTM Portfolio Director Alison Gilmore. She commented, “Research amongst our clients shows that the luxury outbound market is growing so fast that many companies are now separating their current and future business plans and marketing strategies to focus on China and Asia as two independent opportunities. ILTM has listened and is responding with two dynamic events dedicated to their own audiences.” ILTM Asia Pacific will be re-positioned to represent the whole of Asia, bringing more international buyers, similar in context to ILTM in Cannes. “We will create the show to be as international as Cannes, with the same ambiance, story and stature but set in the dynamic heart of Asia – Singapore – considered to be both the region’s gateway and its hub,” continued Gilmore.

The Indian market for Germany is growing strongly at 12.6 per cent till February 2017. India is on track to reach one million overnights by 2020, revealed Romit Theophilus, Director-India, German National Tourist Office (GNTO), on the sidelines of the 43rd Germany Travel Mart (GTM) being held from May 7-9, 2017, in Nuremberg, Bavaria. Speaking at the opening ceremony of GTM 2017, Petra Hedorfer, CEO, German National Tourism Board, said, “A lot has happened all over the world not all of it good. We in Germany stand for openness and tolerance. We welcome people from all nations with great respect from the bottom of our heart.” Emphasising how tourism can build bridges between people and nation’s, she adds, “Let us do everything to ensure that we continue to bring together cultures, people, nation’s from all over the world, wherever it is in Germany.” The event is hosted by the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) in cooperation with Bavaria Tourism-the official marketing agency and the Nuremberg Convention and Tourist Office. The mart is a high-calibre forum at which German providers can meet key buyers from the international travel industry.

India has been participating at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) since its inception 24 years ago and this year is no different. Speaking at a media briefing held at ATM 2017, HE Vipul, Consul General of India, Dubai said, “We have 54 participants in total from India who are here at ATM including goverment agencies like IRCTC, ITDC, as well as a number of private tour operators. Two state governments Jammu & Kashmir and Kerala have put up stalls while officials from Madhya Pradesh are also participating. The theme this year is yoga and wellness and Dubai particularly has embraced yoga in a big way. There has been a consistent and positive growth from this region to India over the last 3 years with 2016 having registered an overall growth of around 17 per cent over the previous year. India is today the biggest source of tourist arrivals in UAE with the numbers increasing every year and with the simplification in e-Tourist Visa and introduction of e-business and e-medical visa, we expect more tourists to travel to India.” Gyan Bhushan, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, highlighted the country’s growing tourism figures, and said, “India registered a growth of 10.6 per cent in 2016, which is higher than the global average of about 4.3 per cent. It is an all round destination and offers diversity throughout the year since we have the Himalayas, the desert, beaches, plains and much more. Our focus on health & medical tourism, wellness, cruise tourism, among others has grown as well since these are booming sectors.” Saket Saran, Country Head, Air India, reiterated the fact that traffic has been strong between Dubai and India and said, “The …

The 11th edition of GITB will be held from April 22-24, 2018, at Jaipur, announced Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson, Tourism Committee, FICCI. “GITB has become the biggest show for inbound tourism in India and the most exclusive one that promotes all segments of tourism in the country. It has grown over the last 10 years from 260 buyers to 275 buyers, from 3000 to 10,800 meetings over the last few years. It has played a vital role in the influx of foreign tourists to India and Rajasthan. Since it is held in Jaipur, it gives maximum exposure to the state of Rajasthan. We hope that the foreign buyers attending the show become our ambassadors and bring more and more tourists to the country.”

The Great Indian Travel Bazaar opened with 275 foreign buyers and 288 exhibitors at The Lalit Jaipur on April 23. The inbound show committed to boost tourism in India and in Rajasthan was inaugurated by Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and Krishnendra Kaur, Tourism, Art and Culture Minister, Government of Rajasthan, Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson, Tourism Committee FICCI, Nihal Chand Goel, Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism, Art & Culture), Bhim Singh, President, Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan, and Rahul Chakravarty, Senior Director and Head-Tourism, FICCI. Addressing the show, Billa said, India is truly on a growth path. We have grown at a rapid pace of 11 per cent in 2016 and since January to date we have grown at a staggering rate of 16 per cent, there is nothing in the market to suggest that it will slow down. Domestic tourism forms a key part of Indian tourism. Last year we had 1.7 billion domestic travellers and we are growing at 8-9 per cent Y-o-Y. Admittedly we are growing on a narrow base but the potential of tourism in India is immense. All of you here are at the right place to lay the seeds for what will become a great engagement for a market that has huge potential. He also informed that accordingly to the World Economic Forum report, India improved its tourism competitiveness by 25 places over three years and tourism is the government’s main agenda.

Over 2,600 exhibitors and an expected 30,000 visitors will participate at the 24th Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2017, the largest travel trade event in the Middle East taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 24-27. Over 150 countries are participating, with more than 100 new exhibitors set to make their ATM debut. New to ATM 2017, ILTM Arabia will play host to one-on-one, pre-scheduled appointments, between suppliers of luxury products and destinations from around the world to an audience of high net-worth individuals. Meanwhile marketing to experiential travellers will be an integral part of the ATM Travel Tech seminar programme. The UNWTO & ATM Ministerial Forum returns, uniting more than 20 ministers with industry leaders in the MENA region to consider methods of capitalising on tourism growth and building a sustainable ecosystem for the sector to unlock its potential within each country’s national agenda.

Lions Clubs International (LCI) announced its first LCIcon in India that will be the biggest international conference to be held in the country from July 1-5, 2022, in New Delhi.  The conference is expected to host nearly 35,000 delegates from more than 120 countries over five days. This was announced by Dr. Naresh Aggarwal, First Vice President, Lions Clubs International, who will take charge as the 101st Worldwide President for the Clubs on July 4, 2017. Mahesh Sharma, Tourism Minister, Government of India presided over the event as Chief Guest and said, “It is a matter of great pride for us that India will be showcased on the international tourism map through this conference. The Lions Clubs International’s philanthropic activities are a sign of giving back to the society and we are very privileged to be the host of the biggest international conference.” The 105th conference of LCI is planned to coincide with the celebrations of 75 years of Indian independence in 2022. “Indira Gandhi Stadium, Pragati Maidan (ITPO) and almost 10,000 hotel rooms are already booked well in advance in all 5-star hotels in New Delhi. Tourism worth $50 million is expected during the five days of the conference and also from its pre and post visitation,” said Aggarwal. He further informed that this is an achievement which has come through with the support of the government and association bodies like ICPB and only after a rigorous bidding process where India competed with international destinations like Mexico, San Francisco, Brazil etc.