The 15th edition of Great Indian Travel Bazaar 2026 concluded at the Jaipur Exhibition amd Convention Centre, marking the end of a three-day showcase that reaffirmed India’s positioning as a leading inbound tourism destination.
Organised by the Ministry of Tourism Government of India in association with the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan and FICCI, and supported by HRAR, IHHA and RATO, the event brought together stakeholders across the tourism ecosystem, generating business opportunities, policy dialogue and international visibility.
Across three days, GITB 2026 facilitated over 10,000 structured B2B meetings between foreign tour operators (FTOs) and Indian sellers. The event hosted more than 195 international buyers from over 50 countries, alongside nine State Tourism Boards and over 225 hotels and tour operators from across India, reflecting both scale and global interest in the Indian tourism product.
The event was inaugurated on April 26 at Jai Mahal Palace by Diya Kumari, who highlighted Rajasthan’s vision of positioning itself as a world-class, experience-led destination. Senior policymakers including Suman Billa, V Srinivas, Shuchi Tyagi, Jyotsna Suri, Anant Swarup, Rukmani Riar and Surender Singh Shekhawat reiterated India’s ambition to double tourism’s GDP contribution from 5.22 per cent to 10 per cent.
A key highlight was the release of the EY–FICCI report titled ‘Reimagining Inbound Tourism in India: Towards Incredible India 4.0’, which called for a shift towards experience-led tourism. The report identified MICE, wellness, event tourism and women-centric travel as high-growth segments, while recommending a reduction in GST on premium hotel stays from 18 per cent to 9 per cent. It projected international visitor spending to reach US$ 2.95 trillion by 2034.
The second day commenced with the opening of the exhibition and B2B sessions at JECC by Diya Kumari and Bhuvnesh Kumar, alongside Shuchi Tyagi, Jyotsna Suri and Rohan Khaunte. The day also marked the debut of the Travel & Tourism Excellence Awards, recognising achievements across 23 national and 11 Rajasthan-specific categories. The jury included Arvind Singh, Ankush Nijhawan, Ravi Gosain, Meena Bhatia, and Lakshmi Sarath.
In recognition of their contributions to the growth of GITB and the tourism sector, several industry leaders were felicitated, including Bhim Singh, Dipak Deva, Surender Singh Shekhawat, Kuldeep Singh Chandela, Mahendra Singh, Mohan Singh, Khalid Khan and Hemant Mittal. A posthumous tribute was also paid to Randhir Vikram Singh Mandawa for his contributions to the industry.
Over its 15 editions, GITB has evolved into one of India’s most influential inbound tourism platforms, extending beyond trade facilitation to shaping policy, encouraging state participation and driving long-term investment. The 2026 edition, with its expanded international participation, record B2B engagement, inaugural awards and industry insights, has set a new benchmark for tourism trade events in the country.
With tourism contributing approximately ₹21 trillion to India’s GDP and supporting over 46 million jobs, the sector remains central to the country’s economic ambitions, as India progresses towards its long-term goal of becoming a $3 trillion tourism economy by 2047.
