India Tourism Mart will help increase tourist footfalls into the country: K. J. Alphons

Rashmi Verma, K. J. Alphons, Subhash Goyal and Suman Billa at the conference
New Delhi: The Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, K. J. Alphons announced that the Tourism Ministry in partnership with the  Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and  Hospitality  (FAITH)  and with the support of State /UT Governments  will organize  the  first ever India  Tourism  Mart (ITM)  from  16th  to  18th September, 2018  at  Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The objective  of  the event  is  to  create  an annual Global  Tourism  Mart  for  India  in line with  major  international  travel  marts  being  held  in  countries   across  the world. ITM  will   provide  a  platform  for  all stakeholders  in the  tourism  and   hospitality industries  to  interact  and   transact  business  opportunities.
Addressing the media in New Delhi, the Tourism Minister K. J. Alphons said: “India with its great potential in tourism and hospitality sector needs to dramatically increase the foreign tourist footfall and reap the benefits. Ministry of Tourism has been conducting foreign road shows, releasing theme based promotional videos and thus, the ITM 2018 will be a big step which will get buyers from all over the world.”
The Minister also hoped that through ITM 2018, India can showcase its hidden destinations to the world, especially to emerging tourism markets like China, Latin America, and Japan etc. The Minister also hoped that with this event, the Government’s aim of bringing the Tourist footfall to double in next three years shall be fulfilled.
Speaking at the event, the Tourism Secretary, Rashmi Verma said that ITM will be the best platform for the States to showcase their products to international buyers, opinion makers and bloggers and attract more tourists to their respective states.
“Till now only few states like Kerala, Rajasthan were conducting the Tourism Marts and only a few states have participated in International Marts.  Therefore, ITM 2018 will be a great opportunity for other states who neither have their own Marts nor ever participated in any International Marts to showcase themselves in front of the International buyers,” she added.
She also conveyed that the Overseas Tourism Offices will make the list of buyers which shall be verified and finalized by a Committee which has all the Tourism/Hospitality associations so that only genuine buyers take part in the Mart.
The Chairman of the organizing committee and FAITH Secretary, Subhash Goyal said that it has been for the first time that the tourism industry stakeholders are coming together for such a large scale event and with Ministry’s support and quick decision the ITM 2018 has now been realized.
India Convention Promotion Board (ICPB) shall coordinate the whole event. A dedicated website shall be there for the event http://www.indiatourismmart.com/
Buyer  delegates  for ITM 2018 are  being  invited   from  important and   potential  source  markets  such  as  North AmericaWest  Europe, East  Asia, Latin  AmericaCIS  Countries  etc.  Approximately, 300+ international buyers, influencers, bloggers etc. are expected to attend the event.
Approximately  175-200  stalls  will  be  provided  to the  sellers  to  enable  them  to  interact with the buyers.  These  will include  pavilion  for  States & Union Territories to  showcase  their  unique  tourism  destinations  and  products.
The  event  will  be  formally  inaugurated  on  17th September, 2018 and  B2B  meetings  between  buyer and  seller  delegates  will be  held  on  17th and 18th September, 2018.  FAITH and  State  Governments  will   offer  pre and  post  event  FAM  trips (Familiarization trips)  for  the buyer  delegates  from  overseas.
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