From stronger collaboration and new business partnerships to sustained overseas marketing and improved competitiveness, their views underline the priorities shaping India’s inbound tourism journey. Together, they present a clear roadmap for positioning India as the world’s next major tourism opportunity.
Priyanka Saxena Ray
Rajnish Kaistha
Senior Vice President, IATO
I see IATO’s 41st Convention as much more than an annual industry gathering. It is a platform to take stock of where Indian inbound tourism stands, challenge the status quo and collectively decide where we want to go next. Inbound tourism needs renewed momentum, and the Convention is an opportunity for the industry to come together, exchange practical ideas, forge stronger partnerships and create new business opportunities. We don’t just want to talk about tourism; we want to find solutions that can translate into more visitors, longer stays and greater economic value for India. Visakhapatnam and Andhra Pradesh provide the perfect setting for this. By experiencing the destination first-hand, we want our members and the wider travel trade to look beyond the traditional tourism circuit and discover, develop and promote new destinations and new tourism products.
But our responsibility goes beyond business. IATO wants tourism growth to be responsible growth. Through the Convention, we are also highlighting cleanliness, civic responsibility and responsible tourism. A destination cannot be world-class if it is not clean, safe, welcoming and respectful of its environment and local communities.
The problem is not our product; the challenge is how consistently we market it and deliver it which we have fell short of in last 5 years due almost nil overseas marketing. We need to move from sporadic promotion to sustained, aggressive overseas marketing. We need easier visas, competitive pricing, stronger international air connectivity and much better last-mile infrastructure. And we cannot overlook the fundamentals—service quality, safety, cleanliness and ease of doing business.
Most importantly, tourism cannot be driven by government or industry in isolation. Government creates the ecosystem; industry delivers the experience. We need both working from the same playbook.
Sanjay Razdan
Vice President, IATO
The IATO Convention in Visakhapatnam comes at an important time for India’s inbound tourism sector. I expect it to provide a strong platform for members to exchange ideas, address common challenges and explore new business opportunities. Greater interaction among IATO members, state tourism authorities, airlines, hotels, DMCs and stakeholders can build partnerships and create new avenues for promoting India internationally. The Convention should also showcase Andhra Pradesh’s tourism potential and encourage members to include new destinations and experiences in itineraries.
India has enormous potential, but we need to become more competitive, accessible and visitor-friendly. Key priorities should include improved international air connectivity, competitive airfares, simplified visa processes, better infrastructure and connectivity to emerging destinations, supported by a focused global marketing campaign. Equally important is closer coordination between government and industry through regular stakeholder consultation, with emphasis on ease of doing business, taxation, sustainability, safety and service quality. A coordinated approach can strengthen India’s position as a preferred global tourism destination.
Sunil Mishra
Hony. Secretary, IATO | Chairman, 41st IATO Annual Convention
This year’s IATO Convention in Visakhapatnam will serve as a platform for converting dialogue into measurable business. With tour operators, tourism boards, hospitality leaders, airlines and policymakers together, we expect stronger partnerships, better destination knowledge and itineraries featuring Andhra Pradesh and India’s lesser-known regions. Business sessions and B2B interactions should help members build market-ready products, exchange ideas and develop collaborations beyond the Convention. Above all, it should reinforce confidence needed to position India as the world’s next major tourism opportunity.
To accelerate inbound tourism, India needs a coordinated, long-term strategy shared by government and industry. Priorities should include easier and more predictable visas, improved international air connectivity, competitive taxation, visitor-friendly airports, high-quality infrastructure and consistent global marketing. We must strengthen multilingual guiding, tourism skilling, digital information and safety standards while developing distinctive products around culture, spirituality, wildlife, wellness, cruises and rural experiences. Greater emphasis on sustainability, cleanliness and community participation will improve the overall visitor experience and local economic benefits.
Deepak Bhatnagar
Hony. Treasurer, IATO
Expectations from this year’s IATO Convention are very positive. I see it as an important platform for the travel and tourism fraternity to reconnect, exchange ideas, understand emerging market trends and collectively address industry challenges. Through this year’s theme, “India: The World’s Next Tourism Opportunity,” we aim to draw attention to the urgent need for India to return strongly to international markets. The Convention should also encourage greater collaboration among IATO members, airlines, hotels, tourism boards and other stakeholders.
The foremost priority should be targeted international demand generation, moving from broad promotion to measurable campaigns in high-potential markets with stronger airline, OTA, hotel and state-level coordination. India also needs better international air connectivity, competitive airfares, seamless visa processes and more traveller-friendly booking conditions. Equally critical are destination competitiveness and visitor experience, including infrastructure, cleanliness, safety, last-mile connectivity, multilingual services and consistent tourism experiences. Government and industry must work together, with the tourism sector taking the lead in these areas.
Viney Tyagi
Hony. Joint Secretary, IATO
As our Convention theme indicates, we aim to showcase India to the world as one of the greatest destinations for holidays, yoga, meditation, nature, culture, history and experiential travel. The Convention will also focus on empowering the next generation of tourism professionals through education and skill-development sessions, including the role of AI. Specially curated post-Convention tours and compulsory B2B meetings will help delegates understand Andhra Pradesh better, build new partnerships and promote these destinations more effectively in domestic and international markets.
India needs a much more aggressive and sustained overseas marketing strategy to increase its share of international tourism. IATO has taken the lead through overseas roadshows and a full calendar for 2026–27, demonstrating the value of consistent international engagement. Government support through global media, social media, trade fairs and roadshows is equally important. India must also improve price competitiveness, rationalise GST on hotels and strengthen marketing support for smaller operators. We have the product; we now need visibility, connectivity, competitiveness and sustained marketing.
Follow BOTT on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
Subscribe BOTT Channels on WhatsApp & Telegram to receive real time updates
