TravelWorld 2005 Makes An Impact At ITB

The recently concluded International Tourism Bourse 2004 certainly saw India in the spotlight. A presentation made by the Indian Express Group (IEG) on TravelWorld rightly summarised what India has to offer to the world. TravelWorld will be South-Asia's largest 'Business to Business' Tourism Forum and will be held between February 24-27, 2005, at one of Mumbai's premiere venues, the Bandra Kurla Complex, MMRDA Grounds.

Commenting at the occasion Sandeep Khosla, head - Business Publications Division (BPD), Indian Express Group said, "TravelWorld will go beyond the typical utility of a trade show by adding critical dimensions of value to the occasion. The event is not merely a chance for exhibitors and visitors to interact. It is also an opportunity to converge on ideas and issues that are extremely relevant to the industry as a whole and arrive at solutions that they can take with them into their individual business models and apply. Events like the CEO's Conclave and Aviation Panel Discussion are a hallmark of the Indian Express to contribute meaningfully to the industry it reports on and analyses. Brand India will be the key focus of TravelWorld."

The presentation highlighted what is TravelWorld, its offerings to the worldwide travel community and why should the 'travel world' look at participating in the event. The audience was presented two distinct sections - Inbound and Outbound.

Explained Sheldon Santwan, Editor - Hospitality Division, Business Publications Division, Indian Express Group, "India is undoubtedly being considered a viable destination both for tourism and business. The World Travel & Tourism Council, has ranked India second, one notch above China in the list of 'Top Ten' countries, where demand for travel and tourism is expected to grow fastest by 2005-14. This list was part of WTTC's travel and tourism 2004 forecast for 174 countries and the world."

The TravelWorld presentation also showcased what tourism boards across India have to offer hosted buyers. Subsequently, the outbound slide focused on the fact that the new Indian traveller is maturing. There is undoubtedly an increase in the number of middle-income groups preferring to explore new destinations; this could be attributed to more disposable income and higher purchasing power.

Finally, the presentation concluded with the three main verticals of TravelWorld - MICE, Bollywood and Medical Tourism. All three aspects, though self explanatory, are potential segments of the Indian travel

industry. The conference was attended by foreign tourism boards who were participants, the Ministry of Tourism, government of India, both international and Indian media and Indian exhibitors at ITB 2004.