40th IATO Annual Convention opens in Puri, Odisha

41st edition to be held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

40th Annual IATO Convention was inaugurated on Friday at the holy city of Puri in Odisha, in the presence of key tourism officials and industry leaders. The three-day event features state presentations, business sessions, networking opportunities and industry recognitions. It was also announced that the 41st convention will take place in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

With travel agents and tour operators from across the country as well as a large number of representatives of State and Union ministries of tourism in attendance, the 40th Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) was inaugurated at Puri in Odisha, on Friday.

The Convention, which will run until August 24, was officially opened in the presence of Gajendra Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, Government of India, Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism, state representatives, office bearers of IATO and members of the travel industry.

“It is a moment of immense pride and honour for us to gather here in the historic city of Puri for the 40th IATO Annual Convention. We are indeed privileged to have this convention and the presence of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, Government of India and Culture. I would also like to place on record our sincere thanks to the Chief Minister of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi for his blessings and our deep gratitude to Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha for her constant guidance and support in making this 40th IATO Annual Convention a reality in this magnificent platform,” said Ravi Gosain, President of IATO, in his opening address.

Meanwhile, Mohanty during his address emphasised the crucial role of government support in the development of tourism in Odisha. He highlighted the state’s diverse offerings, including its rich heritage of temples, scenic beaches, mountains and abundant wildlife. He further stressed that tourism has the potential to serve as a key driver of economic growth for the state. “Tourism can fight terrorism and is the answer to Trump’s tariff regime,” said J K Mohanty, Chairman of IATO Eastern Region.

Key officials also addressed the gathering, including Suman Billa, IAS, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Pravati Parida, and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, also shared their views during the session.

In his address, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General (Tourism) of India Tourism, expressed concern over the declining trend in India’s inbound leisure tourism, despite growth in business travel. He highlighted the widening gap between inbound and outbound tourism and emphasised the economic implications of this shift.

“Our business inbound has picked up significantly, but our leisure inbound has, over the years, been shrinking. That is a source of great concern for us. We also need to counterpose this with the growth of outbound tourism in India. If you look at the latest numbers, outbound tourism accounts for about 27–28 million people. In comparison, we receive about 20 million people as inbound tourists,” said Billa.

“The total amount of earnings from inbound tourism is a little less than USD 36.14 billion in foreign exchange. That is what the tourism sector generates for the country. But when we compare this with outbound tourism, the RBI says that the amount of money spent outside the country is to the tune of USD 17 billion. However, that figure only represents the formal economy, transactions happening through credit cards and bank transfers. So, what does this mean? It means that, on one hand, through inbound tourism, we earn about USD 36.14 billion in foreign exchange. On the other hand, as our outbound tourism grows, we are also spending an almost equal amount of money, maybe about 20–30 pc short of what we are earning. And since outbound is rising faster than inbound, that should be a source of concern,” he added.

During her address, Parida highlighted Odisha’s key tourism offerings, including its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, as well as the government’s measures and policies aimed at developing tourism infrastructure in the state.

“Puri, the sacred land of Lord Jagannath, is not just a spiritual capital, it is also a gateway to the rich, diverse, and untold stories of Odisha. Our temples, our art, our classical dance forms like Odissi, Chhau, pristine beaches, the wildlife of Similipal and Bhitarkanika, and the tribal cultures of Purakot and Kandhamal, all form a unique tapestry that is both timeless and waiting to be discovered. Odisha is no longer just a pilgrimage destination, it is evolving into a complete tourism experience,” said Parida.

A highlight of the event was the release of the IATO Manual 2025. The IATO Hall of Fame Award 2025 was also presented to Pronab Sarkar, Managing Director of Swagatam Tours and former IATO President, in recognition of his contributions to the travel and tourism industry.

Ajay Jain, Special Chief Secretary for Tourism & Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh, announced that the 41st Annual Convention of IATO will be held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The evening concluded with the inauguration of the IATO Convention Travel Mart by Parida.