ITB India 2020: Getting to the heart of India’s emerging travel market

India is one of the fastest-growing major economies with the second-largest population in the world, rising middle class and increasing disposable incomes. “Capturing the next great market” is the overarching conference theme of the inaugural ITB India 2020, taking place from 15 – 17 April at the Bombay Exhibition Center in Mumbai. The three-day conference will showcase an extensive program of key presentations and discussions by industry movers from the travel and tourism sector providing insights on India’s vast potential for both inbound and outbound travel.

ITB India’s program agenda brings together leaders and industry experts from MICE, Corporate, Leisure and Travel Tech sectors, through four conference tracks: Knowledge Theater, MICE & Corporate Travel, Destination Marketing and Travel Technology. The conference tracks will offer insights and comprehensive views to National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), travel and hospitality companies to capture this great market opportunity. The organizers of ITB India Conference will launch an innovative convention format entitled “C-Suite Talks”, a unique series with C-level executives, providing insights on complex travel issues in India. The topics to be covered include travel management, booking strategies and latest digital trends.

“Reports from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), estimate that India will account for over 50 million outbound tourists by 2022. At ITB India Conference, delegates will gain access to the latest travel trends in the Indian travel market with leading local and international companies. They will learn from the best on how they plan to keep succeeding as the industry continues to move forward and how they innovate their business models to remain competitive,” said Sonia Prashar, Deputy Director General of Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, the organizer of ITB India.

Opening keynotes delivered by the who’s who of the travel industry

Under the title “Why India? Why now? Get ready for the next wave of growth” the conference kicks-off with a keynote interview on Day One, 15 April. Deep Kalra, Chairman & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip will outline what it takes to succeed in the complex Indian travel market. “Capturing the new outbound traveler” is the name of the keynote panel following the interview, delivered by Rohit Kapoor, CEO, India & South Asia, OYO, Amanpreet Bajaj, Country Manager, Airbnb India, Filip Filipov, VP Strategy, Skyscanner and Abraham Alapatt, President & Group Head – Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services & Innovation, Thomas Cook India.

According to Google and Bain & Company report, India’s travel spends are expected to grow at 13% to $136 billion by 2021. The keynote interview on Day Two, 16 April, shares insights on how to win over today’s Indian travelers. Following the interview is a keynote panel titled “Travel technology: Differentiator, not enabler”. The panel will be led by global leaders – Indroneel Dutt, CFO, Cleartrip, Bhanu Chopra, Founder & CEO, RateGain and Prakash Sangam, CEO, redBus, focusing on India being the most digitally advanced traveler nation in terms of digital tools being used for planning, booking and experiencing a journey.

C-Suite Talks @ Knowledge Theater

C-Suite Talks is a unique series of talks given by C-Level executives of both Indian and international travel brands, taking place in the Knowledge Theater. This series of insightful sharing will get right to the heart of travel issues in India, with topics covering Leisure, Corporate, MICE, Travel Tech and beyond. Industry leaders will examine the growing significance of the Indian market. Among notable industry experts are American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), CWT, Egencia, PayPal India, SOTC Travel, Triptease, TripAdvisor India and many others.

During the C-Suite Talks about Tours & Activities and Deal Booking Sites experts from Kiwi.com, Thrillophilia, and TUI India will explore how industry players are creating relevant and memorable experiences at every touchpoint. The Hotel Talks will identify business solutions for the hotel 2.0, the future of accommodation and best practices to attract Indian travellers. The discussion will be led by senior executives from Hilton, IntelliStay Hotels and Wego.