The India International Travel Mart (IITM) Bengaluru 2026, one of South India’s leading B2B travel and tourism exhibitions, was inaugurated on Thursday by Shri K.J. George, Honourable Minister for Energy and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, at Tripura Vasini, Palace Grounds, Bengaluru.
The three-day exhibition, being held from 23–25 July 2026, has brought together leading tourism boards, state tourism departments, international destinations, hotels and resorts, airlines, cruise companies, destination management companies, travel technology providers, travel agents and tourism service providers from across India and overseas.
The Guests of Honour at the inauguration included Dr. V. Ram Prasath Manohar, IAS, Secretary, Government of Karnataka; Mr. Shivaprasad P.R., IAS, Managing Director, KSTDC Ltd.; Mr. Sivaram Babu, IFS, Managing Director, Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd.; Mr. K. Syamaraju, President, SIHRA and Karnataka Tourism Society; Mr. Amish Desai, MC Member, TAAI; Ms. Jyoti Varma, Country Manager – India, Global Business Travel Association; Smt. Sanjeevi Singh, Chairperson – South India, ETAA; Mr. Mahalingaiah, Chairman, IATO; and Mr. Ganesh Basavaraj, Vice President, Karnataka Tourism Forum.
The event serves as a business platform for the travel fraternity to showcase new products, strengthen partnerships and explore emerging opportunities in one of India’s fastest-growing travel markets.
Buyers from Bengaluru and key feeder markets, including Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Belagavi, Davanagere, Shivamogga, Salem, Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupati and other cities across South India are participating in large numbers.
Inaugurating the exhibition, Shri K.J. George, Honourable Minister for Energy and Tourism, Government of Karnataka, said: “Tourism continues to be a significant contributor to Karnataka’s economy, creating employment, promoting entrepreneurship and showcasing our rich cultural and natural heritage. Platforms such as the India International Travel Mart play a vital role in connecting destinations with the industry, encouraging collaborations and enhancing Karnataka’s position as a preferred tourism destination. I congratulate the organisers for bringing together the tourism fraternity under one roof and wish the event every success.”
Dr. V. Ram Prasath Manohar, IAS, Secretary, Government of Karnataka, added: “The sector plays a larger role than attracting visitors, and contributes immensely to employment generation, investment and economic development. Our goal is to position Karnataka as India’s preferred tourism destination by fostering strong partnerships between the government, investors and the tourism industry.”
Speaking on the occasion, Rohit Hangal, Director, Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., organisers of IITM, said, “Bengaluru has always been one of India’s most dynamic travel markets, making it an ideal destination for the India International Travel Mart. IITM continues to provide a highly effective business platform where exhibitors can engage directly with quality travel buyers, tour operators, corporate planners and industry professionals. The enthusiastic response from exhibitors and buyers reflects the growing confidence and optimism within the travel and tourism sector.”
The exhibition features more than 850 exhibitors representing a diverse range of tourism products, including domestic and international destinations, luxury and leisure travel, pilgrimage, adventure tourism, wellness tourism, MICE, cruises, hospitality, travel technology, insurance and allied services.
In addition to the exhibition, IITM Bengaluru offers an extensive programme of business networking sessions, destination presentations, product launches and B2B meetings, enabling exhibitors and buyers to establish meaningful business relationships and develop new market opportunities.
Over the past two decades, the India International Travel Mart has established itself as one of India’s most trusted travel trade exhibitions, connecting the travel industry with high-quality buyers across major source markets. The Bengaluru edition is expected to generate significant business opportunities while further strengthening the travel and tourism ecosystem.
Speaking about Bengaluru’s importance as a travel market, Sanjay Hakhu, Director, Sphere TravelMedia, said: “Bengaluru has consistently emerged as one of India’s strongest source markets for domestic, international, leisure, pilgrimage and business travel. The city offers tremendous opportunities for tourism stakeholders to engage with a knowledgeable travel trade and an increasingly travel-savvy consumer base, making IITM an ideal platform for business generation. Tourism thrives on collaboration. The India International Travel Mart provides an environment where tourism boards, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, technology companies and service providers can come together to forge new partnerships, exchange ideas and create sustainable business opportunities that benefit the entire travel ecosystem.”
Event Highlights
- More than 850 exhibitors are participating in the exhibition.
- The event showcases over 25 international destinations and 20 Indian tourism destinations.
- Karnataka is the Host State.
- Odisha Tourism, Kerala Tourism and Rajasthan Tourism are the Partner States.
- Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Tourism are the Feature States.
- Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Diu and Daman, and Lakshadweep are the Focus Destinations.
- Fly91 is the Partner Airline.
- The exhibition offers the biggest variety of holiday packages covering more than 1,000 destinations in India and abroad.
- Travel agents and tour operators have an opportunity to connect with partners from more than 25 international destinations and over 25 Indian states.
- Tourism segments represented include adventure tourism, international travel, visas, pilgrimage, cultural tourism, wildlife tourism, conferences, wedding destinations, hospitality, travel technology, insurance and allied services.
