The Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart (UPTM 2024) served as a vibrant platform to unveil the state’s tourism resurgence post-pandemic. Through engaging sessions, exhibitions, and cultural showcases, it demonstrated Uttar Pradesh’s commitment to harnessing its rich heritage and infrastructure to attract both domestic and international tourists, propelling the state’s journey towards becoming a premier tourism destination.
– Gurjit Singh Ahuja
The Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh, in collaboration with FICCI, organized the sixth edition of the “Uttar Pradesh Travel Mart” from April 25 to 27, 2024, at the Baba Gambheernath Auditorium in Gorakhpur. This edition marked the resurgence of the event after a hiatus of five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
UPTM 2024 endeavoured to showcase the tourism potential of Uttar Pradesh. It served as a platform to share the latest developments in tourism facilities and infrastructure and highlight Uttar Pradesh’s rich cultural heritage and ambition to attain the position of a top destination for tourism, both for foreign and domestic tourist arrivals.
The event facilitated interactions between over 120 hosted travel agents and tour operators from across India, as well as representatives from Canada, Latvia, Singapore, and Malaysia. These stakeholders engaged with senior officials from Uttar Pradesh Tourism and industry leaders from the state, fostering collaboration and exchange of ideas.
Day 1: A Knowledge-Packed Beginning
The UPTM 2024 was inaugurated by Awanish Kumar Awasthi, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath. The inaugural session featured detailed presentations by Esha Priya (IAS), Special Secretary and Director of Uttar Pradesh Tourism, and Prakhar Misra (IFS), Director of Tourism. They delved into the state’s tourism offerings, circuits, and the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Policy 2022, elucidating investment opportunities, benefits, and subsidies.
More than 30 exhibitors, spanning from hoteliers and tour operators to wedding planners and transporters, presented their diverse offerings to an eager audience of the travel fraternity at an exhibition held alongside that presented insightful knowledge sessions. In the evening, delegates were taken on a lake cruise experience on the newly launched luxury cruise boat ‘Lake Queen’ at Ramgarh Taal. A gala dinner was organised at the Radisson Hotel, and the delegates witnessed an enthralling folk dance performed by artists from Mathura, Vrindavan.
Day 2: Reflecting on UP’s Tourism Triumphs
Speaking at the valedictory session, Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh, D.S. Mishra, IAS, said, “Today, Uttar Pradesh is undergoing a rapid transformation at breakneck speed. Uttar Pradesh of today has shed its image of yesteryear and established itself as the ‘Land of Opportunities’.” He further added, “India is targeting to be a 5 trillion US$ economy over the next three years, and “Uttar Pradesh targets a 20 per cent share of that pie and aims at being a 1 trillion US$ economy by then.”
Mishra explained that tourism has also been a major beneficiary of the growth story of Uttar Pradesh. He added, “According to the estimated figures for 2023, Uttar Pradesh received 48 crore domestic tourists in 2023. There also exists an immense potential to enhance foreign tourist arrivals from the current figure of six lakh to 16 lakh arrivals.”
Also speaking at the occasion, the Principal Secretary of the Tourism and Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Mukesh Kumar Meshram (IAS), said, “We have developed the “Golden Spiritual Triangle,” covering the cities of Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Varanasi. 12 major circuits have been identified and are being aggressively promoted across all channels; these cover spirituality, religion, culture, wildlife, ecotourism, and rural tourism.”
Meshram further elaborated, “Uttar Pradesh is also home to some of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites like Shravasti, Kapilvastu, Kushinagar, Sarnath, Kaushambi, and Sankisa, and with a 50-crore Buddhist population spread across 39 plus countries, the scope for Buddhist tours to Uttar Pradesh was boundless.”
Meshram also informed, “Maha-Kumbh was scheduled for 2025, and this auspicious gathering would attract a sea of humanity who would come to Prayagraj for the holy dip at the Sangam. Currently, the city is being revamped and prepared to handle this mega-event.
In his vote of thanks, Prateek Hira, Chairman, FICCI’s Tourism Committee, Uttar Pradesh, said, “Today we can proudly say that Uttar Pradesh is not in the process of changing but has changed.” He further elaborated, “Today there is an enhanced sense of inclusiveness, empowerment, and involvement by the government towards the tourism sector. Single women travellers are safe, and the UP Government is actively promoting the destination and showcasing it in all major international forums, creating interest in the destination and opening new markets.”
He also invited all delegates on behalf of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, to visit the Gorakhnath Temple for the evening aarti, sound and light show, and langar.
Familiarisation (FAM) trips were organised for international and Indian travel agents to explore destinations like Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Sarnath, enhancing their first-hand experience of Uttar Pradesh’s tourism offerings.
