The India Tourism Mart has been a vibrant marketplace involving domestic and international stakeholders of the tourism and hospitality industry.
Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), the policymaking organization of the national associations representing the tourism, travel and hospitality industry of India (ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI, TAFI) and cause partner AIRDA will organize its India Tourism Mart-ITM a purchaser dealer meet in a virtual arrangement from 18th–20th February 2021, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, in a bid to avoid gathering and contamination.
The buyer-seller meet organized by FAITH in 2015 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Cabinet Minister Piyush Goel inaugurated the 2018 edition of the meet. Last year, Union Cabinet Minister Nitin Gadkari alongside Union Tourism Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the event.
The India Tourism Mart that has been effectively upheld by the Ministry of Tourism is a lively marketplace for the stakeholders across the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.
The event has witnessed participation from more than 250 buyers from more than 65 countries. Also, it offers visitors and attendees to have B2B conversations. Many travel industry exhibitors from across India participate in the event. They include several state governments, hotel operators, tour aggregators, travel organizers, and tourist transporters as well.
The buyers from countries across the world at the event is an essential blend of target nations that are developing and developed. These are critical and important markets for the Indian tourism and hospitality industry. The travel industry verticals in which B2B communications occur mirror a blend between tourism sectors like leisure, adventure, mice, heritage, and specialty.
Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, the FAITH has decided to virtual for the event in 2021. During the event, online B2B communications will be held between the Indian travel industry exhibitors and global buyers selected from more than 90 countries across the world.
Furthermore, in the virtual format this year, there will be a strong focus on the domestic tourism and hospitality industry. The event organizers claim that the domestic tourism buyers will be invited as well alongside the international buyers. According to them, it will create a strong opportunity for the sector in the line of the Government of India’s ambitious Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign, which voices for more localization to cater to the global markiet.
According to the organizers, another milestone feature in the 2021 edition of the event will be a virtual knowledge tourism conclave that will focus on bringing the best of the tourism and policymakers to explore how Indian tourism is strategic to India’s socio-economic targets and can play a critical role in the country’s post-pandemic revival strategy.
The conclave is claimed to be attempting to create a link between India’s goal to reach the $5 trillion economy target and the goals of India @75 as well. Also, it will focus on the Make-in-India Manufacturing strategy as well, which has been another ambitious initiative by the central government.
The virtual India Tourism Mart or the ITM 2021 in February could showcase and pose as a curtain-raiser for the upcoming physical ITM that is scheduled to be held in September 2021. It will highlight the tourism-readiness of India after the vaccination starts.
While it is not confirmed yet, FAITH expects the ITM 2021 virtual to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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