India Tourism Mart to Have Around 280 International Buyers

ORGANISED BY Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) with the active support and guidance of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, ITM will host around 280 international buyer participation.

Punjab and Gujarat are Partner states at the ITM, where 17 states will have active participation. There will be around 200 booths of exhibitors and sellers which will include State tourism boards, tour companies, hotels, resorts, etc.

In a press conference held last week, Suman Billa, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India said that the focus is more on quality of buyers rather than the quantity. He also stated the fact that the need to meet international buyers in a B2B show for India will ensure the “principle of equity.” He said that it is important that Indian travel trade should be able to meet different buyers in India and thus this platform will prove successful in showcasing a true model of public-private partnership. The government wants the travel and tourism industry to own it up and run it on their own in the years to come.

Subhash Goyal, General Secretary of FAITH said that buyers from countries like Iran, Iceland and South American countries will be participating in Mart for the first time in India. “We started the process just five months ago and all the industry associations which are part of FAITH have been working overtime to make the event a success,” he said.

Goyal said that it took 16 years after the launch of Incredible India marketing campaign for India tourism to touch the 10 million inbound mark. The target is to double it in the next two years’ time and ITM will pave the path towards that goal.

Nakul Anand, President of FAITH, while briefing the achievements of the umbrella body representing the industry associations in the travel, tourism and hospitality verticals in India, said that the Federation played a key role in getting the e-visa regime implemented, creating policies for Mega Tourism Zones, recommending PPP model for Monuments, reducing and rationalising the GST burden, formulating PR & Marketing Strategies for Indiatourism, framing Tourism Policies at State level, etc. He said that the FAITH has been able to change the notion that tourism is an elitist activity and make the policy makers at different levels understand that tourism is an economic activity.