Sustainability, Niche, Domestic & Experiential Tourism Take Centerstage in the New Normal

Delhi NCR: Informa Markets in India, India’s leading B2B exhibition organizer, commenced the 28th edition of SATTE today. The expo is the first physical event by Informa Markets in India in the pandemic status quo. The much awaited event was inaugurated by Chief Guest Mr. Arvind Singh, Secretary – Tourism, Govt. of India along with key dignitaries Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, Maldives; Mr M P Bezbaruah, Former Secretary – Tourism, Govt. of India and Secretary General, Hotel Association of India; Mr. Maneck E. Davar, Chairman, Service Export Promotion Council, and Ms. Jyoti Mayal, Vice-Chairperson, FAITH, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India and Ms. Pallavi Mehra, Group Director, Informa Markets In India.

The three day expo, being organized with a comprehensive line of best practices & safety protocols between 24th to 26th March 2021, at the India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi – NCR, is witnessing participation from cross-sections of the industry and has garnered great support from the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, Service Export Promotion Council (SEPC) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Ayush and State/UT  Tourism Boards such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,  to name a few. Uttar Pradesh is the ‘Host State’ for SATTE 2021.

International participants such as Nepal, Maldives, Malaysia, Utah and Expo2020 Dubai are showcasing their product profile and preparedness to woo Indian travelers. Private players such as TravelBoutiqueOnline, ITC Welcome Heritage, My Value Travel, Tripjack, Youngistan Travellers, STS World, Destination India, Nix Tours, Hora Tourism, and Rayna Tours, amongst others, have also participated this year.

SATTE 2021 has one-of-a-kind features such as SATTE Virtual Zone, and the T3 Studio that is enabling exhibitors to communicate their services effectively to the buyers.

Speaking at the inauguration of SATTE, Mr. Arvind Singh, Secretary – Tourism, Govt. of India, congratulated the organizing team of SATTE for sending out the message of resurgence in the travel and tourism industry. He also mentioned that travel and tourism is the leading service industry of India and as per WTTC, contributed 6.8% of the total economy amounting to INR. 16,681 billion. It generated 39,82,18,000 jobs which translates to 8.0% of the total employment of the Indian economy. Mr. Singh also added, “India is emerging as a nation to look up to for several countries in terms of health infrastructure, we have already vaccinated 32 million people and would be continuing our efficient drive. Coming to strengthen the foundation of travel and tourism industry, the Ministry has launched ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ campaign which has already organized more than 80 webinars. The website of ‘Incredible India’ has also been updated in multiple languages like Chinese and Arabic to facilitate a smooth flow of communication across multiple countries. Initiatives like SATHI (System of Awareness Training for Hospitality Industry), SWADESH and the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme have been launched. The programmes aim at enhancing the overall experience of tourists by creating a pool of talented and skilled individuals in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. We are positioning India as a centre of Ayurveda, Yoga, Sidha, Naturopathy which will be boosting the Wellness Tourism, the guidelines have already been drafted by the Ministry. Schemes have also been extended to wellness tourism service providers.”

Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, added, “We are glad to receive such an overwhelming response from our exhibitors, and support from authorities and tourism boards. The industry is still subject to the see-saw effect in terms of the economy. Exhibitions like SATTE will surely drive a positive tone among the associated stakeholders and industry players, while strategically strengthening ‘Atmanirbharta’ as envisaged by the Government. We are upbeat about the future and about the efforts we all need to put together for the revival. Two common themes that have emerged are ensuring safe and sustainable growth and greater use of the latest technology solutions. These can be leveraged to build further inroads into niche, in-demand segments like Domestic leisure business, and wellness and health tourism that we are also promoting at SATTE.”

With the current international air travel restrictions, SATTE reoriented its strategy that is mainly focused on the domestic market along with select International destinations that have opened doors for tourists post the lockdown lift.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, Maldives, said, “SATTE 2021 is a crucial way forward to move past the crisis, which will echo across the globe.” He also thanked Indian Govt. for their support, Indian tourists for visiting Maldives and playing an important role in making it the next door travel destination. By the end of this year, more than 3,00,000 Indian tourists are expected to visit Maldives which is a highest recorded number for any country. Dr. Mausoom added “Indians are hard-working individuals, be it IT professionals, doctors or executive class – they all need a vacation break, and we are working to kickstart our North airport which will cut the travel time by 45 minutes for Indian tourists. Very soon Maldives is all set to become the first country to initiate Vaccine Tourism called as “3V”- “Visit, Vaccinate and Vacation”; it will give travelers the option to get vaccinated against Covid-19 in the Maldives and promote it as a safe destination for tourists”

Alongside the expo, the SATTE 2021 conference is presenting a host of thought-provoking knowledge sessions. Day 1 of the conference saw panel discussions on topics such as Domestic tourism: Exploring unexplored, International tourism: Tackling pandemic impact, A destination Showcase by Gujarat and panel discussion on Technology: Adopting SMART tourism. Day 2 will witness panel discussions on Religious Tourism, Wellness Tourism and Women in Travel along with Destination showcases by Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Lakshadweep.

Over the years, SATTE has had the support of international and domestic organisations and associations. This year the reputed list includes the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), Hotel Association of India (HAI), Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA), Association of Buddhist Tour Operators (ABTO), Universal Federation of Travel Agents Association (UFTAA), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Skal, Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA) amongst others to name a few have helped bolster the efforts of SATTE this year too. EQUATIONS is the NGO partner this year.

SATTE 2021 is amply supported by its AllSecure & Travel Safety Guidelines – a safety standard initiative by Informa that will safeguard the Health and Safety of the exhibitors, visitors and its employees to RESTART exhibitions. These are in line with the government’s guidelines to ensure a smooth, secured experience for everyone at the show. In a nutshell, the expo has laid a concrete stepping stone for the travel and tourism industry to proceed towards a balanced recovery.