Category Archives: Exhibitions

The Government of Karnataka, Department of Tourism, announced the inaugural edition of ‘Karnataka International Travel Expo’, in Bengaluru from February 28–March 2, 2018. The inaugural edition of ‘Karnataka International Travel Expo’, is set on a B2B platform with over 400 registered buyers and media from over 25 countries exploring business opportunities for discerning travel and tourism products, which will make the event one of the most sought-after travel events in the country and enhance the marketing efforts of the state to promote Karnataka as a destination which is diverse, fascinating and safe. Priyank Kharge, Minister for Tourism, IT & BT, Government of Karnataka, said “Karnataka is home to a large and exciting portfolio of globally acclaimed tourism products with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, splendid wildlife and resplendent nature, virgin beaches to adorn. ‘Karnataka International Travel Expo’, being held for the first time will provide the impetus to the inbound travel and tourism industry and would enhance the marketing efforts of Karnataka Tourism to promote our destinations to the travel trade from all over the world.” The event is supported by major travel trade and hospitality associations in India such as ADTOI, ATOAI, IATO, TAAI, SKAL, FICCI, Karnataka Tourism Forum, Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI), among others. The 2018 event will showcase both the rich cultural heritage and high-tech features of the city of Bengaluru in the state of Karnataka. “Karnataka with its diverse range of products is fast emerging as one of the most interesting and productive states for the travel trade industry both for leisure and business travel. A globalized one-stop sourcing platform is vital for stakeholders within the tourism industry to effectively reach out …

The maiden Cambodia Travel Mart kicked off at Sokha Siem Reap Resort and Convention Centre on November 17. The three-day mart, which will host local and international buyers, suppliers, trade professionals and media partners, will allow participants to meet and exchange the latest developments of the tourism industry in Cambodia. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was presided over by Yim Chhay Lay, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia, and Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism, Cambodia, along with other dignitaries. The tourism minister of Cambodia said at the event, “In 2016, the number of tourists visiting Cambodia increased about 5 per cent, we received about 5 million tourists. In 2017 we hope to receive 5.5 million tourists and we expect this number to go up to 7 million in 2020. The first event of CTM in Siem Reap this year is a key factor to develop tourism in Cambodia and to achieve the expected goals.” The next edition of the Cambodia Travel Mart will be held at Phnom Penh from October 11-13, 2018.

The India pavilion at the World Travel Market 2017, the leading global event for the travel industry, was abuzz with activities for the trade and consumers alike. Addressing a press conference, Rashmi Verma, Secretary-Tourism, Government of India, launched the all-new Incredible India website which will be going live from December 25.  At the three-day exhibition underway at the ExCeL-London from Nov 6-8, Incredible India showcased a lively celebration of spiritual tourism. The India stand laid special emphasis on the development and promotion of tourism for the North East States with an objective of showcasing the largely untapped tourism potential of the region. The Secretary highlighted the new initiatives for promoting tourism in India. “India Tourism has been going at a fast pace. We have jumped 25 positions as per World Tourism Forum, our ranking has improved from 65 to 40. In terms of international tourist growth in our country, last year it was 9.7 per cent as against the international trend of 3.5 per cent. This year so far it has been very encouraging and it has been at a high of 15.6 per cent. In terms of foreign receipts our growth has been commendable. The international growth has been 2 per cent, ours has been about 8.3 per cent (2016). The growth has been there but still there’s a long way to go.” Verma informed that recently India celebrated tourism fortnight with a focus on encouraging tourism. The MOT started campaigns called ‘Tourism for All’ and ‘Dekho Apna Desh’, focused on domestic tourists as well as NRIs, encouraging them to come to India not only to visit their relatives but also witness the diverse culture of the country. She pointed …

The Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) will kick-start in Kochi on September 27, 2018 with Malabar Tourism promotion as its main theme. The three-day conclave, organised by KTM Society in partnership with Kerala Tourism, will be held from September 28-30. Pre-registration of buyers will commence in January 2018. “The 10th edition of KTM will be inaugurated coinciding with World Tourism Day (September 27) in Kochi. The inauguration will be followed by three-day business to business meetings. There is huge scope for tourism growth in Malabar with the inauguration of Kannur airport next year,” he said. The minister said the Responsible Tourism Mission has already started activities to spread its objectives to more places and make it a state-wide project, instead of concentrating it in a few places. Kerala Tourism Principal Secretary Dr Venu V said, “There is more to KTM than trade exchanges. The mart will feature 400 stalls showcasing a range of products, packages and services offered by businesses and entrepreneurs.” Source: PTI

The fourth edition of Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart (MPTM) was held from October 27-29 at Hotel Lake View, Bhopal. Over 200 national and international buyers and close to 100 domestic exhibitors took part in the event. With B2B sessions scheduled over two days, participants had the opportunity to form successful collaborations and network with industry players including airlines, accommodation providers, destination management companies, heritage hotels, wildlife resorts, etc. At the inaugural ceremony, Surendra Patwa, Minister of Tourism, Govt. of MP, launched ‘Tourism – Everyone’s Business’, a book authored by Gour Kanjilal. Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary-Tourism, MPTB, was also present at the event. “I believe that within a year or two, our team will be at the international level. Security for foreign tourists is one of our biggest priorities and we are continuously ensuring that tourists feel safe and welcome when they travel to the state,” said Patwa. With the mandate of the state tourism board clearly laid out, MPTM and other events of the order aim to showcase MP to domestic and international players.

Post WTM London, Ministry of Tourism is all set to participate in FITUR, which will be held in Madrid from January 17-21, 2018. Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Tourism, revealed that India will be the partner country for FITUR, and is preparing for the same. “We will be participating in a very big way and the campaign has also been planned for the event in and around FITUR exhibition. We have many plans for it. Since the clientele in Spain is different, we will look at the countries which are participating at FITUR and offer our niche products as per their specific markets,” she informed.

Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the 41st PATA Travel Mart at Langkawi, Malaysia, from September 12-14, 2018. This event has been held at a variety of venues across Asia Pacific bringing global tourism to the doorstep of a new country every year. Langkawi promises to be a very interesting destination located in the heart of Asia. PATA India Chapter has been officially appointed as the nodal office for all PATA events. PATA Travel Mart has successfully attracted international buyers and sellers to a common platform year on year. It is amongst the few international travel and tourism marts where buyers and sellers meet with pre-arranged appointments, making the event extremely productive and mutually beneficial. In 2017, PTM recorded 293 hosted buyers while delegates from 281 organisations and 51 source markets attended the mart. Out of these delegates, 32 per cent belonged to Northeast Asia; 29 per cent to Europe; 13 per cent to Southeast Asia; 10 per cent to North America; 7 per cent to South Asia; 5 per cent to the Pacific while 4 per cent where from other regions.

The first day of meetings of GoMedia Canada 2017, hosted by Destination Canada, kicked off on October 3 at Cunard Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Nearly 150 travel journalists and influencers from all over the world met with Canadian industry partners to discover what makes Canada and Nova Scotia worth exploring. GoMedia Canada is the country’s premier travel media event, connecting the world’s top travel media with tourism organisations and operators from across the country. Tourism Nova Scotia played the perfect host at the event. “Hosting this international tourism industry event is an honour,” said Michele Saran, CEO of Tourism Nova Scotia. “This is an incredible opportunity for Nova Scotia to share the best it has to offer with the influencers who inspire people to pack their bags and travel.” “Nova Scotia was a natural choice for GoMedia Canada 2017” said Emmanuelle Legault, Destination Canada’s vice-president of International Affairs. “It’s a great opportunity for our host, Tourism Nova Scotia, to delight and inspire media by showcasing the natural wonders, culinary delights, diverse culture and welcoming people that can be found on our East Coast.” GoMedia Canada 2017 is on till Oct. 5.

India’s participation grew manifolds at IFTM Top Resa MAP Pro, France’s only multi-sector travel and tourism trade show. Indian states, such as, Kerala, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Goa received an overwhelming response from this market. India Tourism and the private sector created a buzz and saw great potential at the event held from September 25-28. The four-day event was attended by 30,929 industry professionals, demonstrating the vitality and energy that characterise the travel and tourism industry. As many as 1,694 brands were spread across 543 stands.

The third Annual Convention of Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) kicked off in Ras Al Khaimah with 180 delegates. The Convention was inaugurated by Shaji Thomas, Director-Destination Tourism Development, Ras Al Khaimah; Guldeep Singh Sahni, President, OTOAI; Riaz Munshi, Convention Chairman and Vice President, OTOAI; Mohamed Khater, Senior Tourism Development Manager, Government of Ras Al Khaimah; Gurdeep Gujral, Joint Secretary, OTOAI; SanJeet, India Representative, Ras Al Khaimah, and Mahendra Vakharia, Chairman-Western Chapter, OTOAI. Sahni said, “Amidst the challenges in outbound tourism, there are growth opportunities and we need to seize them by raising our game and gearing up for growth. We need to up our value proposition and rise above the competition.” Thomas informed that India is the fourth largest source market for Ras Al Khaimah with Germany being the largest followed by UK and Russia. “India is a very important market for us. Earlier Indians used to stay 1.9 nights in RAK but now they stay for 2.25 nights which means they have explored more things to do at the destination. We have become a popular destination for weddings. This year we have 17 Indian boutique weddings and we hope to increase this number steadily.”