The Tamil Nadu Travel Mart (TNTM), co-located with TTF Chennai, commenced today at the Chennai Trade Centre with a grand inauguration ceremony graced by esteemed dignitaries. The event, which runs until March 23, 2025, brings together more than 250 exhibitors from 12 Indian states and four countries, including partner country Nepal, along with Myanmar, Brunei, and Korea. Over 50 national and international hosted buyers and an anticipated 4,000 to 5,000 travel trade visitors are participating in this landmark tourism event.
The event was inaugurated by R. Rajendran, the Honourable Minister for Tourism, Sugar, Sugarcane Excise, and Sugarcane Development, Government of Tamil Nadu, in the presence of top government officials including Dr. K. Manivasan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department; D. Venkatesan, Regional Director (South), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India; and Shilpa Prabhakar Satish, IAS, Commissioner, Commissionerate of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. K. Manivasan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department, highlighted the collective efforts behind the event and the broader vision for Tamil Nadu’s tourism growth.
“Arranging this travel mart involved the regional director of the Ministry of Tourism, Ibrahim, the MD and CEO of Fairfest Media, all the exhibitors, and representatives from various tourism departments across states and the Ministry of Tourism. Travel agents and other stakeholders have all come together to make this possible,” he said.
Dr. Manivasan stressed the role of such marts in elevating Tamil Nadu’s tourism profile. “It is indeed very important for the tourism of Tamil Nadu because Tamil Nadu is always one of the leading states in terms of both domestic as well as international tourist arrivals. Conducting such marts is crucial for leveraging the strengths of various states and organisations participating in the exhibition,” he stated.
Reflecting on India’s global tourism potential, he remarked, “India is a very diverse country. If you see the top five countries of international tourist arrivals globally, we don’t feature yet. France is number one, and Turkey is number five. But when we compare their offerings with the kind of diversity and potential we have, there is so much more we can achieve. Conducting such travel marts and participating in international exhibitions will help us get there.”
He also shared a bold vision for the state’s tourism-driven economic contribution, “Currently, tourism contributes around 8 per cent to Tamil Nadu’s Gross State Domestic Product. Our goal is to increase this to 15 per cent by 2030. Many initiatives are underway to achieve this, and we believe we can do far more than we are doing now.”
Dr. Manivasan also urged the industry to look beyond Tamil Nadu’s reputation for religious and heritage tourism, “People often associate Tamil Nadu only with religious or heritage tourism. But we have the second-longest coastline in the country. There’s significant potential for ecotourism as well. These untapped areas should also be explored.”
He concluded with gratitude and encouragement, “I thank the Hon’ble Minister for Tourism and everyone participating. I thank TTF for joining hands with us. This is the kind of partnership we look forward to in organising such events. I deeply appreciate the efforts of our Commissioner of Tourism and the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation for making this event a reality.”
Delivering the Guest of Honour address, D. Venkatesan, Regional Director (South), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, praised the scale and significance of the event, “Today, we are seeing a large gathering, a presence of almost 65 international delegates and a large number of domestic buyers from across India – which signifies the importance of this event.”
He reiterated Tamil Nadu’s uniqueness in India’s tourism landscape, “Tamil Nadu is a very unique and diverse state. It has always been one of the leading destinations in the country. If you look at Tamil Nadu, it offers everything—from a long coastline and lush forests to ancient temples and rich culture—something that stands out in the national context.”
He called attention to Tamil Nadu’s intangible heritage, “Tamil Nadu continues to draw a large number of pilgrims from across India. While we focus on tangible heritage like temples, we must also emphasise Tamil Nadu’s intangible heritage – which is equally unique and valuable.”
Venkatesan also stressed the importance of promoting GI-tagged (Geographical Indication) products, “Tamil Nadu’s GI-tagged products—its arts, crafts, and cultural elements—are distinctive and should be promoted alongside tourism. For instance, Poompuhar is present here, showcasing these GI-tagged arts and crafts.”
On the Ministry’s commitment to training and capacity building, he shared, “Today, destinations are remembered for the experience they provide. That’s why we are investing in capacity building across all segments of the travel industry—not just through Central IHMs, but also by partnering with the Hotel and Restaurant Association of South India and other stakeholders.”
He added, “We’ve already started training programs in Mahabalipuram and Thanjavur, and soon we’ll be launching them in Tiruvannamalai and other key destinations.”
“This comes under the Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi initiatives, where our focus is on skill development and direct interaction with tourists.”
He concluded with a call to action, “I thank the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department for the opportunity, and the Ministry of Tourism is proud to support the Tamil Nadu Travel Mart. I urge all hosted buyers and exhibitors to promote Tamil Nadu aggressively. Let’s work together to bring Tamil Nadu to the forefront as a top tourism destination.”
Shilpa Prabhakar Satish, IAS, Commissioner, Commissionerate of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, shared insights into the swift and collaborative efforts that made this edition of TNTM a reality, “I would like to thank the Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, who has been a strong pillar of support in conducting this event. I also thank the Hon’ble Chief Secretary of Tourism under whose guidance this entire event was executed.”
She revealed the behind-the-scenes push, “This event was organised at very short notice. When we learned that TTF was holding its fair in Chennai, we felt it was an opportunity that had to be utilised.”
She continued with an optimistic tone, highlighting the larger roadmap ahead for Tamil Nadu’s tourism, “Thank you to all the stakeholders and associations for the support. I think this is just the beginning. With all your support, I am sure we have lots of initiatives in mind. As the Hon’ble Minister just mentioned, it’s not just about tourism. You must have heard in the budget that the Hon’ble Finance Minister has announced the Tourism Facilitation Act to be brought in. The tourism policy, which is already there, will now be executed more effectively.”
Shilpa emphasised the potential of TNTM as a long-term platform, “This has been a good beginning, and with your continued support, we will take Tamil Nadu Travel Mart to even greater heights.”
With TNTM 2025 now underway, the event stands as a testament to Tamil Nadu’s vision of becoming a tourism powerhouse, leveraging its cultural richness, natural diversity, and strong institutional support.
, co-located with TTF Chennai, commenced today at the Chennai Trade Centre with a grand inauguration ceremony graced by esteemed dignitaries. The event, which runs until March 23, 2025, brings together more than 250 exhibitors from 12 Indian states and four countries, including partner country Nepal, along with Myanmar, Brunei, and Korea. Over 50 national and international hosted buyers and an anticipated 4,000 to 5,000 travel trade visitors are participating in this landmark tourism event.){kind=link}