As the global travel community converges in London for World Travel Mart (WTM London 2025), India is stepping onto the stage with a strong and renewed narrative of innovation, collaboration, and authenticity. India’s leading inbound tour operators share with TTJ how they aim to redefine the country’s global presence through creative storytelling, cutting-edge technology, and strong partnerships that showcase the nation’s depth beyond the familiar.
WTM London, one of the world’s premium travel trade events, provides the perfect platform to amplify India’s presence on the global stage. India’s industry leaders bring forward fresh perspectives and bold ideas, offering insights into how the country is reimagining its tourism narrative. Their collective vision signals a confident shift toward innovation-driven, experience-led tourism that celebrates India’s diversity and depth. Together, they embody the spirit of a resurgent India, powerful, diverse, and deeply connected to the world, as it reaffirms its global narrative at WTM London 2025.
Showcasing India’s Elevated Tourism Potential
Prateek Hira, Director, UnDMC-India, introduces a pioneering approach to destination management. He says, “This year, we are introducing an innovative concept, the ‘Deconstructed DMC’ for India. India’s vast diversity and unique regional offerings make it impossible for a single DMC to cover the entire country effectively. UnDMC aims to empower foreign tour operators by providing a wide network and subject matter expertise. This platform gives them unrestricted access to every region of India at the click of a button, enabling them to understand and sell India better and connect directly with destinations.”
Rohit Kohli, Joint Managing Director, Creative Travel, reflects on his company’s pioneering role in India’s international presence. He recalls, “Creative Travel was the first private-sector exhibitor at WTM, almost 25 years ago, when we exhibited independently of the India Pavilion, paving the way for others to follow. In 2025, Creative Travel will highlight some of the great journeys we curate throughout the country, and we are also hosting partner events to support our initiative of promoting India as a vibrant and evolving destination.”
Mahendra Pratap Singh, Managing Director, Travel India Tourism, expresses pride in presenting India as a land of timeless experiences. He shares, “At WTM London 2025, Travel India Tourism proudly showcases India as a destination where heritage, culture, and modern hospitality blend seamlessly. Our focus is on promoting experiential and sustainable travel through curated itineraries that highlight India’s cultural richness, natural beauty, and luxury evolution. We aim to strengthen global collaborations that celebrate India’s diversity while supporting responsible tourism.”
Ravi Gosain, Managing Director, Erco Travels, envisions their 2025 showcase as The New India Experience, a blend of heritage, sustainability, and innovation. “Our focus is on positioning India as a year-round, multi-dimensional destination that goes beyond the Golden Triangle to highlight unexplored regions, rural circuits, and experiential themes. We are demonstrating through visual storytelling, digital brochures, and one-on-one B2B meetings, how India has evolved into a technology-driven, high-quality destination offering seamless travel experiences for global visitors. Our IATO members’ collective participation aims to amplify the voice of Indian inbound operators and highlight our growing emphasis on responsible tourism and community engagement,” shares Ravi.
Ashutosh Vishnoi, Director, Glimpses Holidays, views WTM London 2025 as a crucial opportunity to strengthen global partnerships and engage meaningfully with the international travel community. He observes, “As a leading Indian DMC specialising in leisure travel, we curate authentic journeys for both groups and individual travellers. We are unveiling signature programs, beyond the classic Golden Triangle circuits of Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, bringing alive the colours of Rajasthan, the serenity of Kerala, and the spiritual charm of Central India. Through one-on-one meetings and the launch of our newly designed brochures, we aim to inspire our global partners with distinctive itineraries that capture the true essence of India experiences they can confidently promote to their discerning clients worldwide.”
Emerging Experiences
Looking ahead, Mahendra predicts that global travellers in 2026 will gravitate toward experiences that offer true depth and personal resonance. “From yoga and wellness retreats in the Himalayas to authentic village experiences and regional gastronomic journeys, India’s emotional and cultural resonance will continue to attract the evolved traveller,” he says.
Building on this, Ravi highlights the trends that will define 2026. He sees growing interest in experiential and theme-based tourism, from Ayurveda retreats, spiritual journeys, adventure experiences, to culinary and craft trails, across the Himalayas and coastal belts. Explaining further, he adds, “Eco-rural homestays and village immersion programmes are also gaining traction as travellers seek authentic connections with India’s traditions and its people. With improved connectivity and infrastructure, new spiritual, tribal, and river-based tourism circuits are expected to redefine the country’s inbound narrative.”
Emphasising authenticity as the cornerstone of meaningful travel, Prateek highlights the importance of carefully curated experiences. He observes that while ‘experiences’ have become an overused term in the industry, actual value lies in depth and authenticity. “India is an ever-evolving country with a wealth of experiences; the key lies in identifying and presenting authentic options. At UnDMC, we have meticulously identified experiences delivered by subject experts, ensuring they are genuine and prioritise local involvement, focusing on authenticity and sustainability,” he observes. Culinary tourism, he adds, is one such area where authenticity shines through. With India’s regional cuisines drawing strong global interest, UnDMC curates culinary journeys led by passionate local chefs and home cooks who bring depth and context to every dish. The company’s team of subject experts further supports foreign tour operators by helping design bespoke tours and offering real-time assistance, bringing India’s flavours closer to the world.
With travel trends evolving rapidly, Ashutosh sees 2026 as a defining year for India’s growing focus on wellness, yoga, and rural tourism. He observes, “It is exciting to see how state governments, along with local communities, are developing village-based homestays in remote regions, allowing travellers to experience the real India with its traditions, local life, and natural beauty while directly benefiting rural families.” He also notes a shift in wellness and Ayurveda tourism with travellers now embracing yoga and holistic treatments as part of moving itineraries that combine both exploration with rejuvenation.
While opportunities abound, Rohit flags a critical challenge. He points out, “At this stage, India is seriously behind in inbound tourism figures. While we constantly promote new destinations and experiences, part of our effort goes into introducing and convincing companies to include India in their portfolios. India’s current global reputation is not very positive. It has become incumbent on the private sector to take on the fundamental role of promoting the destination first.”
Strengthening Inbound Strategies
For Creative Travel, digitalisation serves as the strategic enabler for its global B2B network. Rohit explains, “As a B2B company, Creative Travel’s digital initiatives are restricted to the needs of our partners worldwide. The tools we use support our partners in automating tailored email campaigns with destination updates, hosting immersive destination showcases and training sessions, and facilitating seamless interaction with their sales teams.” By empowering partners with innovative real-time engagement, the company ensures greater efficiency and stronger global visibility.
Erco Travels also leverages technology as a powerful catalyst to expand India’s global presence. Ravi shares, “We are strengthening our outreach through strategic B2B collaborations with tour operators in key markets, while actively engaging in trade fairs, virtual networking events, and destination webinars. We are also developing AI-driven marketing tools, immersive 360° content, and multilingual campaigns to connect with customers worldwide.”
Glimpses Holidays is strengthening its global presence by building partnerships with overseas tour operators and travel advisors through major trade shows such as WTM London, ITB Berlin, and Arabian Travel Market. “These platforms help us build long-term trust, showcase new Indian experiences, and explore joint marketing collaborations,” says Ashutosh. The company is also setting up sales representation offices and local DMC alliances in key markets to offer language-specific support. The company is also working toward driving inbound growth through SEO, Google Ads, social media, and AI-driven tools that simplify trip planning and deliver more personalised service to global travellers.
Keeping the focus on relationship-building, Mahendra stresses the importance of trust, collaboration, and storytelling. He strongly believes these values will form the backbone of all future sustainable inbound growth. “We are strengthening our network with overseas travel partners through strategic alliances, familiarisation trips, and collaborative marketing initiatives. At the same time, we are harnessing digital storytelling and data-driven campaigns to bring India’s destinations closer to international audiences. At Travel India Tourism, our focus remains on authenticity, trust, and long-term engagement,” he affirms.
Blending tradition with innovation, UnDMC has created a model that combines the personal touch of a traditional DMC with the agility of advanced technology. “Our platform allows foreign tour operators to connect directly with regional destinations or subject experts via voice, chat, or email. It is a carefully balanced system of a traditional brick-and-mortar DMC enhanced by technology with a human face. UnDMC helps new foreign tour operators add India to their portfolios while empowering existing partners with instant communication and in-depth knowledge to drive more traffic to India,” asserts Prateek.
Message to the World
India today represents a dynamic blend of ancient wisdom and modern confidence, a nation where every journey offers both discovery and transformation. Ravi encapsulates this evolving spirit as he highlights how India’s tourism landscape is redefining itself for the global stage. “India, today, represents a dynamic blend of ancient culture and modern confidence, a land that offers both discovery and transformation. We invite our global partners to rediscover India not just as a destination, but as an experience that enriches lives,” he shares. With new products, sustainable practices, and a rejuvenated industry ecosystem, Ravi believes India is ready to welcome the world with open arms under the banner, ‘Incredible India, Incredible Experiences’!
Mahendra echoes this sense of pride and openness, emphasising the warmth that defines India’s hospitality. For him, India’s message to the world is one of sincerity and shared growth. He observes, “India welcomes the world with warmth and sincerity. As we step into a new era of travel, I invite our global partners to rediscover India not merely as a destination, but as an experience that transforms and inspires. Together, let us continue to build journeys that celebrate the spirit of connection, culture, and discovery.”
Ashutosh invites global travel partners to rediscover India saying, “We are dedicated to creating authentic, safe, and memorable travel experiences tailored to every traveller. We aim to collaborate with partners worldwide to design journeys that go beyond sightseeing and connect travellers with the true spirit of India. Together, we can inspire the world to experience India differently. Incredible India awaits you with Glimpses Holidays.”
Prateek seeks to emphasise India’s boundless scale and diversity, to position it as a destination that beckons travellers to return time and again. “India is not a once-in-a-lifetime destination but a convenient repeat destination, multiple times over. To grasp its scale, consider that it would take roughly 4,500 Singapores, 79 Switzerlands, 13 United Kingdoms, 10 Italys, or five Frances to equal India. Equally remarkable is its diversity with 121 languages and nearly 19,500 dialects, where cultures and traditions shift every 15 km across a 3,287,263 sq. km area. Through UnDMC, foreign tour operators will be empowered to sell India better and establish their own presence here through a virtual office. We are optimistic that renewed business and cultural ties will strengthen arrivals in 2026–27,” he emphasises.
Rohit brings the focus back to storytelling and creative collaboration. He believes that the time has arrived to elevate India’s global narrative and inspire the trade to see beyond itineraries. He mentions, “At WTM, we would like global trade to rediscover India not just as a destination, but as a deeply immersive experience. We offer more than journeys; we offer co-creation. There is a need for elevated storytelling. The confidence with which Creative Travel crafts experiences resonates with the most discerning luxury clients. Every arrival in India can become a revelation.”
Together, these voices form a collective vision of a country that does not just invite travellers to visit but to feel, engage, and transform. With sustainable practices, innovative products, and a reenergised tourism ecosystem, the world is being welcomed to experience Incredible India, Incredible Experiences.
