The India International Travel Mart (IITM), the country’s leading B2B travel exhibition, has successfully concluded its July 2025 editions in Chennai and Bangalore. The events marked a significant milestone, reinforcing their position as key platforms for fostering tourism promotion and business networking in South India.
Now in their 26th year, the IITM events in Chennai and Bangalore have grown into major travel gatherings. The exhibitions attracted a diverse range of participants, including national and international tourism boards, travel operators, hospitality brands, and technology providers. Both editions were designed to facilitate business networking, knowledge sharing, and destination promotion, and featured three days of immersive interactions, workshops, and showcases.
A Hub for Global and Domestic Tourism
The Chennai edition, held from July 16 – 18, 2025 and the Bangalore edition, from July 24 – 26, 2025 saw an enthusiastic response from travel trade professionals and stakeholders. The events featured more than 800 exhibitors representing over 25 Indian states and 20 international destinations, providing a dynamic environment for B2B engagements. Tourism India is the Travel Media partners for IITM series.
The Chennai event was inaugurated by Mr. T. Christuraj IAS, Director of Tourism, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, alongside other notable guests, includes Mr. Venkatesan D, Regional Director, India Tourism, Mrs. T Devaki, Chairperson, Travel Agents Association of India Tamil Nadu chapter; Mr. Kamaleshwaran, President, SKAL International, Chennai, Mr. Pankaj Ravish, General Manager, IRCTC; Mr. Pawan Kumar Gupta, Vice President, SIMA, Mr. Ashok Kumar P, Chairman, ADTOI, Tamil Nadu chapter;
In Bangalore, the inauguration was led by Mr. Pasang Dorjee Sona, the Minister for Tourism, Education, Rural Works, Parliamentary Affairs and Libraries, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, with a distinguished list of guests of honor from various tourism bodies, such as Mr. Neelu Sharma, Chairman, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, Govt. of Chhattisgarh Mr. Ranphoa Ngowa, IFS, Secretary Tourism, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, Mr. Vivek Acharya, IFS, Managing Director, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, Govt. of Chhattisgarh, Mr. Hishamuddin Mustafa, Director, Tourism Malaysia Chennai (South India & Sri Lanka), Mr. Biswajit Routray, OTS, Additional Director, Odisha Tourism; Mr. Dinesh Kumar, Joint Director, UP Tourism, Mr. Lokesh Bettaiah, Vice President, Travel Agents Association of India; Mr. Niranjan Bhargava, Chairman, Travel Agents Association of India Karnataka chapter, Mr. M Vinod, President, Andaman Association of Tour Operators, Mr. Kaulesh Kumar, General Secretary, Association of Buddhist Tour Operators, Mr. Amish Desai, MC Member, TAAI.
Reflecting on a Resurgent Travel Market
Mr. Sanjay Hakhu, Director of Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions, the organizers of IITM, commented on the success of the events. “This year’s editions of IITM have exceeded expectations in terms of participation and partnerships,” he stated. “The strong interest from both domestic and international tourism communities is a clear indicator of India’s growing travel potential. We are proud to be at the forefront of this resurgence.”
Echoing this sentiment, Mr. Rohit Hangal, also a Director at Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions, highlighted the importance of the host cities. “Chennai and Bangalore remain vital markets on South India’s tourism map. The quality of trade interactions at IITM reaffirms its growing relevance and impact in the B2B space. As India’s travel sector continues to advance, IITM remains a key catalyst in this transformative journey.”
