Tourism
Industry awaits the grand Silver Jubilee edition of ‘SATTE’
South Asia’s leading Travel and Tourism Exhibition by UBM India
Mumbai, 18th January 2018: UBM India, India’s leading B2B exhibitions organiser is all set to bring in the 25th anniversary edition of SATTE – South Asian Travel and Tourism exchange from January 31 to February 2, 2018 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. This year, the exhibition has witnessed a tremendous response from the industry with participation from over 1,000 exhibitors and representation of over 50 countries and 28 Indian states. SATTE will provide a comprehensive platform to domestic and international buyers and professionals from across the travel, tourism and hospitality industry along with National and State Tourism Boards (NTOs and STOs) to congregate and conduct business, arrive at solution-driven innovations to counteract economic uncertainties, and promote inbound, outbound and domestic tourism in India. This most favoured industry platform is also well-supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
SATTE continues to receive the support of international organizations and Indian travel trade associations such as World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) and IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), to name a few. Moreover, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Bhutan (HRAB) is participating as an exhibitor at SATTE.
Spread over three days, SATTE 2018 will be witness to several exciting partnerships and announcements that promise to augur in new trends in the industry. Visitors at the signature expo can expect to witness a number of features including a special pavilion of 10 start-ups and venture capital firms to provide seed investments for captivating ideas.
Speaking on the announcement of the 25th edition of SATTE, Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India said, “A diverse country like India has a huge tourism potential. The industry is growing at an unprecedented pace with the urban middle class taking to every kind of travel – from conventional package tours to independent and off-beat itineraries. Low-cost airlines and higher disposable incomes have ensured that Indians are travelling more than ever before. The Indian tourism industry is the fastest growing among the G20 countries. Ease of access through online portals and hassle-free bookings and accessible pricing will play a pivotal role in ensuring that India’s travel sector grows to a US$48 billion market opportunity by 2020.”
“SATTE is perfectly placed to provide a most comprehensive industry platform and showcases the true potential of tourism for India and other countries, all under one roof. With this edition, SATTE will also achieve its Silver Jubilee milestone and on our part, we have pulled out all stops to celebrate it in a grand way. The ‘I am 25’ campaign brought various sectors of the industry together on the 25th of each month to celebrate 25 years of the show, and there’s plenty happening onsite as well. SATTE is also happy to engage its exhibitors and visitors to pledge for sustainable tourism under the unique I-Pledge scheme where they pledge to conserve natural reserve; respect and save wildlife; say no to plastic; dispose waste smartly and travel responsibly. We have already got over 22,000 pledges at last count,” he further added.
SATTE 2018 will have an array of State Tourism Boards with many of them increasing their presence for the 25th edition of SATTE. So far, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala, West Bengal and Rajasthan have confirmed their participation. States such as Goa, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, J&K, amongst others are in the process of finalising their participation for the coming edition. The eight North Eastern states will participate under the Incredible India Pavilion of the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India.
Foreign Tourism Boards such as Spain, Peru, Czech Republic, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Turkey, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Fiji, New Zealand, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Israel, Sharjah, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mauritius, Indonesia, Abu Dhabi, Visit Russia, Visit Florida and Las Vegas and Oman, amongst others have confirmed their participation too.
This year, the expo is also witnessing an increase in participation from an array of hospitality players and products. Groups such as Movenpick, Neemrana, Treebo, Sterling Resorts, Minor Hotels, Dusit, Melia Hotels International, Shangri -La Hotels and Resorts, DS Group, Choice Hotels, Abad Hotels, Lords Hotels, Alcon Victor Goa, Zen and Singge Palace from Ladakh, Grand Imperial Agra, Somatheeram, Ramada Kerala, Ananta Resorts, Venetian Cotai, Ayana Resorts Bali, Marasa Africa, Banyan Tree, Disneyworld Paris, EuropeCar, The Ultimate Travelling Camp and many more have confirmed their participation at the mega event.
One of the key features of SATTE 2018 will be the conference programme from January 31 to February 2 that promises industry discussions and sharing of new insights pertaining to the sector and industry best practices. Moreover, SATTE will host six panel discussions that will bring together stakeholders of the industry on a single platform, allowing exchange of ideas that will add value to Indian tourism at large.
As a pre-cursor to the expo, UBM India will be hosting the SATTE Awards 2018, the second edition of the awards. Slated for the evening of January 30th, the awards is an endeavour to recognize and celebrate the excellence, achievements and innovations of key stakeholders in the Travel and Tourism industry and will be based on transparent, authentic and genuine parameters, a philosophy which is imbibed in the values of SATTE. The major categories for the awards will cover various segments of the travel and tourism industry including; airlines, cruise, tour operators, hotels, destinations, online travel portals, to name a few. Networking opportunities, presentations and other features will add substance and style to the evening.