Category Archives: Exhibitions

Boost your confidence and get ready to sell Europe, America, Asia and Australia again. Learn more about the on-ground situation and updated travel protocols of these destinations at the Thomas Cook webinar on Tuesday 15th March, 2022 at 3pm IST. Attendees can also get access to a host of packages for their customers.  Register for free at https://event.webinarjam.com/register/381/3v7k1iv1 or contact jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com; +91 9650196532.

The Kerala Travel Mart dates have been rescheduled from 24th-27th March to 5th-8th May, 2022 at the same venue. Speaking on the change, Dr Venu Vasudevan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of Higher Education and Tourism, Govt of Kerala, said, “We know that in certain regions, there are still restrictions that are applicable. So having considered all these matters, the KTM society has decided to postpone the Mart. We do this to ensure that all those people who have expressed interest in participating are given the opportunity to do so. We already have more than 1,100 travel partners who’ve expressed interest in participating and we want to ensure that every one of them will gather here physically during KTM.”

ITB India 2022 will be an all-virtual event with the physical show postponed to 2023. Scheduled on the same dates, ITB India 2022 Virtual will be held from 5 – 7 April 2022. After close observations of international developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, the spread of the Omicron variant, and extensive conversations with local authorities and partners, the show organisers made the difficult decision to move the show completely virtual, which now gives exhibitors and trade visitors maximum planning security. 

This year’s International Tourism Fair, FITUR 2022 exceeded all expectations, with 111,193 attendees – 81,193 professionals from 127 countries during its first three trade-only days and 30,000 on its two days open to the public. The number of exhibitors and participants almost equaled pre-pandemic levels at the FITUR 2022. Among the 6,933 participants at the event were 600 exhibitors from 107 countries, including seventy countries represented by official delegations. 

Addressing the session at The India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai: ‘Meet in India: Emerging Hub for Business and Social Events’, Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary, MOT said, “India possesses excellent convention and hospitality infrastructure, unparalleled cultural, natural attractions and a rapidly growing economy all of which act as catalysts to India emerging as a hub of business and social events.”

Speaking at a session on the ‘Investment Opportunities in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality’ during the ‘Tourism Fortnight’ at the India Pavilion, EXPO2020 Dubai, Rupinder Brar, ADG, MOT, GOI said, “India has opportunity and potential to become a hub for spiritual and religious tourism, as the govt. is focused in showcasing the strength of the Indian religions and philosophies to the world.”

IFEMA MADRID has reconfirmed the dates for the International Tourism Trade Fair: from 19th to 23rd January. The decision has been unanimously approved at a meeting convened by the Chairman of IFEMA’s Executive Committee, José Vicente de los Mozos. The meeting had representatives of the Government of Spain, the Madrid Regional Government, Madrid City Council, the World Tourism Organisation, and private sector organisations. Everyone agreed that “holding FITUR is the best way to ensure support for the tourism sector at a critical time for its full recovery and a return to pre-pandemic business activity levels. Once again, in January, Spain and Madrid will send out a hopeful and unambiguous message about the potential of this industry that needs to get back to normal business activity, an industry that in recent months has demonstrated its tremendous resilience.”

One of the ardent advocates of non-saya dates for weddings, Rajeev Jain, MD, Rashi Entertainment, believes that the Indian wedding industry will witness a significant rise as the pandemic eases. “I believe that international weddings are opening up very fast and by 2022 we will witness many international weddings. The client will spend more on entertainment as new concepts arise. The expenditure on food and clothes will also go up as the number of functions will increase due to being held within India,” he says.  

Tourism Malaysia is participating for the third time at the third edition of the Gulf Travel Show (GTS) from 12 to 14 October 2021. As a platinum partner, Malaysia is having its own virtual pavilion with 13 booths consisting of Tourism Malaysia Dubai, Tourism Malaysia Jeddah, Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), together with three DMCs/tour operator partners, one product partner, as well as five hotels and resorts from the island of Langkawi. Following this year’s participation, Manoharan Periasamy, the Senior Director of Tourism Malaysia’s International Promotion Division for Asia & Africa says that GTS 2021 is a platform that allows industry players to share the development and implementation of safety for domestic and international travellers in preparation for reopening the borders, especially for the Middle East market. “Malaysia has successfully completed the vaccination of more than 90 per cent of its adult population against COVID-19, and as a result, domestic tourism has fully reopened effective Monday, 11 October 2021. In the meantime, Tourism Malaysia is gearing up in preparing to welcome more tourists and also continuing in promoting the #WeMissYou campaign ahead of the reopening of our international borders that is expected after we achieve 90 per cent complete inoculation nationwide,” says Manoharan. Nasaruddin Bin Abdul Muttalib, Chief Executive Officer of LADA adds, “On 16 September 2021, the government has announced the reopening of Langkawi as the pilot project for Malaysia’s domestic travel bubble, aimed at reviving the nation’s tourism industry. Langkawi has become the first holiday destination in Malaysia to open its doors to domestic tourists who are fully vaccinated. The visitors are also subject to the standard operating procedures (SOP) compliance and are required …

Jay Bhatia, Vice President, TAAI recently visited the mega fam held by the Expo 2020. TAAI and Expo 2020 have tied-up to promote the Expo across its member travel and tourism companies through presentations, roadshows and Webinars for the next 6months. Talking about the fam, Bhatia said, “Wonderful experience of over 180 cultures from around the world with all countries participating at the Expo, which will be on from October, 2021 to 31st March 2021. This is a fantastic location for families and tourist who are desirous to see the future of various economies.”