Unveiling the Best of Travel: India International Travel Mart 2023 Shines Bright in Bengaluru
Connecting the World of Travel: A Premier Exhibition Uniting Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Industries Under One Roof
Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions successfully organized the ‘India International Travel Mart’ (IITM) in Bengaluru from July 28 to 30, 2023, at the Tripura Vasini Hall, Palace Grounds.
The esteemed travel mart was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Parliament Affairs, and Law, Govt. of Karnataka, HK Patil, in the presence of distinguished personalities from the travel industry, including Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Govt. of Punjab; Anil Kumar Sahu, IFS Managing Director, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board; Nanda Kishore, IFS Managing Director, Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation; Manoj Kumar, IFS, Managing Director, Jungle Lodges and Resorts, and Mysore Sales International; K Syamaraju, President, South India Hotel & Restaurant Association, Karnataka Tourism Society, and other veterans.
Speaking at the event, HK Patil highlighted the significance of showcasing Karnataka as a premier travel destination. He shared that the empowered committee of tourism had cleared travel proposals worth ₹300 crore investments on Thursday, which would create job opportunities for the underprivileged.
IITM, India’s premier trade exhibition, gathered travel, tourism, hospitality, leisure, and related industries under one roof. The event aimed to facilitate face-to-face interactions between the industry, travel trade, corporate buyers, and end-customers. It witnessed the active participation of travel agents, tour operators, DMCs, hotels and resorts, national tourism offices, technology platforms, online travel portals, and more.
With more than 400 exhibitors representing various travel-trade organizations and tourism boards from 20 Indian states and 15 international destinations, IITM showcased a wide range of travel options. From pilgrimages, adventures, culture and heritage, beaches, wildlife, hill-stations to many more, the event catered to diverse interests. Visitors had the opportunity to explore everything from pursuing the One-Horned Indian Rhinoceros to experiencing the desert festivals of Rajasthan and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Karnataka, offering tremendous value to holiday-seekers.
The event played a vital role in promoting tourist destinations in Karnataka, highlighting aspects of the state’s tourism industry, including archaeology, culture, and heritage. It provided a significant boost to the upcoming Mysuru Dasara Festival.
Rohit Hangal, Director of Sphere TravelMedia, emphasized that with the ongoing recovery of tourism and slower growth in international arrivals to India, ‘India International Travel Mart’ served as the ideal platform to boost the Indian domestic tourism industry. States like Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and many others aggressively marketed their travel products. The event catered to various genres, from religious travel and adventure to family holidays, honeymoons, and conference destinations for companies.
Sanjay Hakhu, Director of Sphere TravelMedia, highlighted India’s emergence as an exciting and productive country for the travel industry, encompassing both leisure and business travel. The event drew a visitor profile in a B2B & B2C format and attracted over ten-thousand visitors across three days. With international destinations opening up to receive Indian guests post the pandemic, travel companies offered attractive packages to holiday hotspots worldwide.