Press Release
The 12th edition of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB 2023) ended with euphoria among the travel trade at Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre (JECC) at Sitapura. The ‘buyers’ and ‘sellers’ expressed great satisfaction on the networking opportunities. A total of 283 major inbound Foreign Tour Operators (FTOs) from 56 countries participated as foreign buyers in this mega event.
The 3-day GITB was organized by Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). It is supported by leading national and regional associations like Hotel & Restaurant Association of Rajasthan (HRAR), Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA) and RATO.
Speaking about the success of the Mart, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, Ms. Gayatri Rathore said that GITB has been hugely successful in attracting serious buyers and sellers. As many as 11,000 pre-scheduled B2B meeting were held over the course of two days. The participation of 9 States including the Host State of Rajasthan shows that the mart has established itself across the country. It is a leading event in terms of FTOs who take part in the mart in large numbers.
Chairman, FICCI Rajasthan State Council and President, Indian Heritage Hotels Associations (IHHA), Mr. Randhir Vikram Singh said that GITB has been an excellent networking platform for stand-alone hotels which can interact with foreign buyers and meet all the stakeholders under one roof. With well-screened buyers, GITB is much stronger than other marts organized in the country. Here the sellers can pick and choose which parties they are interested in connecting with and pre-schedule their meetings accordingly.
Meanwhile, Managing Director, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) Mr. Vijay Pal Singh also visited the Travel Bazaar. He went at all the stalls and appreciated the efforts put in to make this networking event effective and successful.
President, Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators (RATO), Mr. Mahendra Singh Rathore informed that FAM Tours have also been organized for the visiting buyers. A total of 60 tour operators have signed up for these tours. The tours will cover 3 itineraries: Jaipur-Jodhpur-Jaisalmer-Bikaner; Jaipur-Sariska-Ranthambore and Jaipur-Udaipur- Deogarh-Pushkar. The FAM tour will leave on Wednesday morning (26 April) from Spice Court in Jaipur.
Knowledge Paper on Inbound Tourism in India – Unlocking the Potential
A detailed report on “Inbound Tourism in India – unlocking the potential” was released at the GITB 2023. Prepared by FICCI and Nangia Andersen LLP, the report aims to provide insights into the current scenario of inbound tourism in India.
In addition to the overview of travel and tourism sector as well as the initiatives of the Central Government and State Government to boost inbound tourism in India, the report also highlights the possibilities of niche tourism in India. From Cruise Tourism and Adventure Tourism to Golf and Polo Tourism as well as Film Tourism and Rural Tourism are discussed in length in the report.
Throwing light on the Way Forward for the tourism of the country, the report also enlists some of the major steps that can be taken to accelerate the growth of Indian tourism industry. These include – Streamlining Visa Processes, Addressing safety concerns, Promoting Sustainable Tourism, Developing niche tourism offerings, Fostering partnerships with private sector, among others.
Talking about the significance of such a paper, Chairman, FICCI Tourism & Art and Culture Committee, Mr. Dipak Deva said: “The content of this report will be very insightful for all the players of tourism industry. The report highlights the present scenario of inbound tourism in India, the initiatives being undertaken by the Central and various State Governments to boost the sector, various niche tourism products introduced by Government of India, India’s G20 Tourism priorities and Vision 2047 with respect to tourism sector.”