Shaping the Future of Travel: ITB India 2024 Conference to Reveal Key Trends in the South Asia Travel Market

From 11 – 13 September, leading experts from MICE, Corporate, Leisure, and Travel Technology sectors will share valuable insights at ITB India 2024 Conference. Participating international and national heavyweights include Agoda, BCD Meetings & Events, BWH Hotels – India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka, Booking.com, Cleartrip, Thomas Cook India Limited, and many more. Berlin/Mumbai, 18 June 2024 – ITB India 2024 Conference will gather travel industry professionals from 11 – 13 September 2024, at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. Under this year’s theme “Future-Ready Travel: Embracing Innovation, Sustainability, and Global Connectivity”, thought leaders and experts from the MICE, Corporate, Leisure and Travel Technology sectors will provide in-depth perspectives on trends, challenges, and the future of the fast-growing Indian and South Asian travel market across three conference tracks.

India’s growing outbound and domestic travel India’s travel industry is on a remarkable growth trajectory, with total travel expenditure set to reach $410 billion by 2030 and outbound travel expected to surpass 80 million travellers by 2040[2]. This growth in demand has reignited the industry’s focus on targeting travellers from this dynamic region. In light of this, the conference agenda promises to guide the global travel industry on current travel expectations and future trends, focusing on Indian and South Asian outbound and domestic travel.
The second in-person edition of the ITB India Conference will cover a wide range of topics including adapting to changing contexts, emerging trends, and evolving consumer expectations, MICE tourism in South Asia in 2025, digital transformation in corporate travel, travel in the age of ChatGPT, the impact of smart technology on the hospitality industry, outlook and trends in the travel industry, as well as the interface between technology and the future of tourism.

Among the local and international heavyweights who have confirmed their attendance are Krishna Rathi, Senior Country Director – India Sub Continent & Maldives, Agoda; Harshad Donde, Country Director, India, BCD Meetings & Events; Atul Jain, Chief Operating Officer, BWH Hotels – India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka; Santosh Kumar, Country Head – Indian sub-continent & Indonesia, Booking.com; Prahlad Krishnamurthi, Chief Business Officer, Cleartrip; Kiran Bhandari, Director, India Office – Dubai Business Events, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism; Darshana Shirodkar, Senior Director, Lodging Market Management – Southeast Asia and Indian Subcontinent, Expedia Group; Jude D’Souza, Meeting & Events Leader, India, FCM Meetings & Events; Vikram Cotah, Chief Executive Officer, GRT Hotels & Resorts; Neelu Singh, Senior Vice President APAC & Regional Lead Strategic Accounts, HRS Group; Mufaddal Dahodwala, Managing Partner, ICE India; Amaresh Tiwari, Vice Chairman, India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB); Indiver Rastogi, President & Group Head – Global Business Travel, Thomas Cook India Limited; Neil Patil, Founder & Director, Veena World; and Sunila Patil, Founder & Director, Veena World.

Three Conference Tracks Set the Stage for Valuable Insights: Knowledge Theatre, MICE Show India and Travel Tech India As ITB India’s premier conference track, the Knowledge Theatre will host C-suite leaders and renowned industry experts who will share their strategic insights on the outlook of travel, present real-world case studies and provide views on the key considerations of today’s travellers. Attendees can look forward to learning about the latest trends and strategies shaping the future of travel, as well as the challenges and opportunities in different segments of the travel industry – from leisure to adventure, from luxury to budget.

MICE Show India will set the focus on MICE & Corporate Travel, where leading MICE and corporate travel executives from convention and venue bureaus, meeting planners, event organisers, MICE technology, travel managers and travel management companies deliver insights into the transformative innovations that are reshaping the MICE and corporate travel industry in various conference sessions. As this year’s Knowledge Partner, the Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA) will be curating sessions aimed at the MICE audience. They will also look at the pressing issues and challenges currently facing the industry, as well as the opportunities that lie ahead for the vibrant industry in India and South Asia.
Travel Tech India will give valuable insights to digital travel leaders. Leading travel tech experts and innovators will share their views on the impact of cutting edge technology on enhancing the customer experience in the travel industry. Attendees can expect to hear from visionary speakers who will share their perspectives on the future of travel technology and gain insight into the unique challenges and opportunities in the travel technology landscape.