40th IATO Annual Convention concludes in Puri with focus on inbound tourism

Over 1,100 delegates participate in three-day convention

The 40th Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) concluded on August 24 in Puri, Odisha. Themed ‘Rejuvenate Inbound @2030’, the three-day event brought together over 1,100 delegates from across the country to deliberate on the future of inbound tourism in India through sessions, panel discussions, and state presentations and B2B meetings.

The 40th Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) concluded in Puri, Odisha, on August 24. The convention, themed Rejuvenate Inbound @2030, featured numerous insightful sessions focused on strategies to grow inbound tourism in India.

“As IATO’s 40th annual convention was held at Jagannath Puri, which is a very holy city, we hope we get the blessings of Lord Jagannath. We have around 1,100 people who have come as delegates. I am very happy that things have gone as per the plan. And we are hopeful that after this convention, Odisha will get a good exposure in both domestic and international markets,” Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, told India & You on the sidelines of the event.

The convention included meetings, state presentations, and a wide range of discussions where ideas were exchanged, suggestions made and challenges acknowledged, all aimed at accelerating the growth of inbound tourism in India. The convention also highlighted the unique offerings of various states.

“One of the realistic figures for the Government of India is to achieve certain targets by 2047. But we know that 2047 is some distance away. So, the time of 2030 has been selected by IATO, which is Rejuvenate Indian Inbound Tourism by 2030. It is a realistic figure to upskill the entire IATO fraternity with the latest technologies and to understand how we are going to reach a realistic figure by 2030. Now, the important thing is also to bridge the information gap between the government and the fraternity in such a way that the government has a realistic understanding of the real problems of IATO, not only as members, but as a fraternity. And the skill sessions are designed in such a way that everybody is ready to try and achieve their goals of a realistic figure by 2030. At the convention, we focussed on building up the momentum of the international tourism inbound tourism segment in such a way that we achieve a realistic target,” Harish Mathur, Executive Committee Member, IATO told India & You.

As the convention concluded, attendees acknowledged the well-organised sessions and the range of topics covered throughout the event. The combination of informative discussions and opportunities for networking was noted as a valuable aspect of the convention.

“I am proud of being a part of IATO and the 40th annual convention has given us a huge exposure, plus there is so much to learn, there are so many panel discussions regarding, you know, data based, regarding your growth of tourism in India or abroad, regarding your sustainability, how it is coming up, which is very important in today’s time, so I am extremely happy to be a part of this convention,” Navneeta Singh Deo, co-owner and host of Gajlaxmi Palace, a heritage homestay in the Dhenkanal district of Odisha, told India & You.

The concluding day of the convention was marked with a blend of activities and knowledge sessions. The day commenced with the IATO Run for Responsible Tourism aiming to promote awareness for sustainable and responsible travel.

Delegates assembled in the convention hall for the start of a business session, themed Innovative Products & Immersive Journeys. The session was moderated by Shoba Rudra, Founder, RARE India, and featured talks from Nidhi Bansal, CEO, India Experiences, India City Walks, Shruti Shandilya, Proprietor, Anand Bhawan Palace, Tirwa, Kannauj, Navneeta Singh Deo, Owner, Gaj Laxmi Palace, Dhenkanal and Raghunandan Singh Chundawat, Co-Founder, Sarai At Toria, Khajuraho, Panna.

Panellists discussed how to retain the authenticity and narrative of a place. They emphasised that involving local people is key, as their deep-rooted connection to the destination helps preserve its true essence. This approach should be supported by thorough research and the involvement of professors and subject matter experts. Additionally, strong customer service plays an important role in reinforcing the destination’s identity.

Following this, state presentations showcased the rich tourism potential of Jharkhand, Gujarat and Manipur, highlighting local experiences, cultural heritage, and new tourism initiatives. This was followed by another knowledge session on Technology in Tourism – AI & Automation, moderated by. Devendra Parulekar, Founder of SaffronStays, with a presentation by Rocky Jagtiani, an AI transformation coach and Head of Tech & Development at Suven Consultants & Technology.

The Valedictory Session featured an address by Prithviraj Harichandan, Minister of Law, Works, Excise Government of Odisha.

“I believe all the delegates must have had a good and hospitable stay in Odisha for these last three days and the convention. The city of Puri is not only limited to Sri Jagannath temple only, it represents the rich heritage, culture, tradition and ethos of spirituality of Odisha. In addition to the golden beach, the blue flag beach here in Puri, many small and large pilgrim sites and places of tourism interest that attract a large number of tourists every year to Puri,” said Harichandan.