Call for unified tourism promotion efforts at IATO Convention

Key stakeholders focus on marketing and collaboration efforts

On day two of the ongoing IATO Convention in Puri, industry leaders and government representatives gathered to discuss the future of inbound tourism, marketing strategies, partnerships, and regional tourism developments across India.

A call for unified efforts to boost inbound tourism into India was one of the key takeaways of the second day of the 40^th IATO Convention, being currently held in Puri, Odisha, that has brought together leading voices in the Indian tourism industry.

The first business session, titled Rejuvenate Inbound @2030, focused on the future of inbound tourism to India over the next five years, exploring its potential and challenges. Aashish Gupta, Consulting CEO of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), moderated the session.

Speakers in the session included Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General of India Tourism, Ajay Jain, Special Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh Tourism, Parveen Chander, Executive Vice President, Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).

During the session, delegates highlighted the need to rethink and revitalise the Incredible India campaign to suit the current media landscape. Suman Billa pointed out that while earlier campaigns relied heavily on government-led messaging, today’s environment demands a more collaborative approach. He also stressed the importance of convergence between central campaigns and state-level promotions, as well as industry collaboration.

Concerns were also raised about inadequate infrastructure, poor cleanliness, lack of safety and unreliable power supply, all of which impact the tourist experience. Delegates called for stronger coordination between the government, industry, and state tourism bodies. The speakers also emphasised the need for community involvement and local initiatives.

This was followed by a special session on Odisha, the host state of the convention, during which delegates highlighted the diverse offerings of the state as a tourism destination.

Next came the second business session titled Revitalise Brand India – Promotion and Marketing, moderated by Naveen Kundu, Managing Director, Tourism Futures.AI. Speakers included Suman Billa, Rajeev Kohli, Joint Managing Director, Creative Travel and J K Mohanty, Managing Director, Swosti Group.

The third business session, The Power of Partnerships – Airlines, Hoteliers, Tour Operators, Guides, was moderated by Homa Mistry, CEO, Trail Blazers, and featured an engaging discussion with Arif Patel, Chief Commercial Officer, ITC Hotels, Anshul Sethi, Head of Sales – India, IndiGo, Subhash Goyal, Chairman, STIC Group, Kanwarjit Singh Sawhney, Honorary Secretary, Indian Tourist Transporters Association (ITTA) and Narendra Rathore, President, Tourist Guides Federation of India (TGFI).

The panelists discussed that choosing reliable partners at every level determines whether a company thrives or fails. They also highlighted that drivers and guides, as frontline ambassadors, need greater support and respect. Initiatives like driver training and calls to maintain high guide certification standards highlight the need for professionalism across the board.

The convention also featured a series of state presentations, offering attendees an insight into tourism initiatives and potential across India. Participating states included Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Goa. Each state showcased its unique offerings, heritage, natural beauty, and tourism infrastructure.

“Our Chief Minister has set a clear target, and I am happy to share that work has already begun on 10,000 new hotel rooms. Land allotments and permissions have been granted, and we are confident that conferences like this will attract even more interest from investors and tour operators. Key destinations such as Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and our beautiful beaches like Suryalanka are seeing growing attention. In our tourism policy, we have provisions for 7,000 rooms specifically catering to tour operators and related infrastructure,” said Jain of AP Tourism. B2B meetings were also an important part of the day’s agenda at the Convention.