SATTE Unveils First Independent Economic Impact Report

Unveiled at a special event at Le Méridien, New Delhi, the report independently measures SATTE’s economic contribution while highlighting the exhibition’s wider multiplier effect across India’s travel and tourism ecosystem.

The report was formally launched by Shri Suman Billa IAS, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, who was the evening’s Chief Guest. He was joined on stage for the unveiling by a distinguished array of dignitaries and industry leaders such as Shri Gyan Bhushan (IES), Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Tourism; H.E. Ms. Chavanart Thangsumphant, Ambassador of Thailand to India — Thailand having been SATTE’s supporting partner country for several years; and members of the SATTE 2026 Award Jury, including Shri Arvind Singh (Former Secretary, Ministry of Tourism), Dr. Abhay Sinha (Director General, SEPC-India), S Shri Himanshu Patil (President, OTOAI), Shri Aashish Gupta (Consulting CEO, FAITH), Smt. Jyoti Mayal (Chairperson, THSC) and Smt. Meena Bhatia (VP & GM, Le Méridien New Delhi), along with Shri Bhavesh Laddha, Director at EY Consulting, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, and Ms. Pallavi Mehra, Senior Group Director, Informa Markets in India, and Publisher, Travel Trends Today.

A Landmark Study for SATTE and India’s Travel Exhibition Industry

For over three decades, SATTE has served as a meeting ground for governments, tourism boards, destinations and businesses across the global travel value chain. With this landmark report, Informa Markets in India and EY have, for the first time in SATTE’s history, independently quantified the exhibition’s measurable economic contribution while reinforcing the broader role business exhibitions play in enabling tourism, trade, investment and long-term economic growth.

Beyond measuring the exhibition’s immediate economic contribution, the report introduces what it describes as the ‘SATTE Multiplier Effect’—the cascading economic value created when business concluded between destinations, tourism boards, travel agents and tour operators at the show translates into bookings, travel packages, accommodation, aviation demand, transportation, visitor spending and employment throughout the year.

While the study quantifies SATTE’s measurable economic contribution through direct, indirect and tax revenues, it also underscores that the exhibition’s wider influence extends well beyond the three days of the event as commercial relationships forged on the show floor continue to generate tourism activity and economic value across destinations throughout the year.

In his foreword to the report, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism & Culture, Government of India, said exhibitions “serve as engines of growth that stimulate trade, encourage entrepreneurship, attract investment and create value across entire economic ecosystems,” noting that SATTE “has established itself as South Asia’s leading travel and tourism exhibition.” Shri Shekhawat also pointed out to the Ministry’s “Meet in India” initiative and continued infrastructure development as part of the Government’s commitment to strengthening India’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) ecosystem.

Speaking at the launch, Shri Suman Billa IAS, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said, “I am especially delighted to be part of the launch of the exhibitions industry’s first impact assessment report. What reports like these do is convert intuition into evidence. When we attend events, our understanding of their impact is often anecdotal. Studies like these bring in data, rigour and measurable outcomes.

Today, exhibitions are not merely industry gatherings; they are engines and accelerators of economic growth, as well as platforms for market intelligence. I extend my strong support to events such as SATTE, as they democratise access to the tourism business, enabling even the smallest players to connect with international partners and collaborators. We need events like SATTE to continue growing from strength to strength,” he added.

Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said, “This report marks a significant milestone in SATTE’s journey. For the first time, it independently measures the exhibition’s economic contribution while highlighting the wider value that business events create across the travel and tourism ecosystem. Beyond the three days of the exhibition, SATTE serves as a catalyst for partnerships, business growth and tourism activity that continue to generate value throughout the year. We hope the insights from this report serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, tourism boards, investors and industry stakeholders as they shape the next phase of growth for India’s travel and tourism sector.”

Mr. Bhavesh Laddha, Director, EY Consulting, said, “ “We are extremely proud to be the knowledge and intelligence partner for SATTE’s Economic Impact Report. Our analysis shows that SATTE 2026 served as a significant catalyst for economic activity, generating an estimated economic impact of INR 193 crore. The exhibition contributed to over 45,000 man-days of employment, generated more than 50,000 hotel room nights and facilitated over 25,000 flight bookings.

Today’s launch of the report, ‘One Event. Millions of Journeys.’, reflects precisely the scale and ripple effect that exhibitions can create. Considering even one percent of the business opportunities and MoUs initiated at the event resulted into actual transactions, the longer-term economic impact could run into an estimated 3000-4000 crore beyond the exhibition itself. We value the trust, collaboration and partnerships that are essential for industries and economies to continue growing,” he added

The report also lays out a forward agenda for SATTE 2027, calling for sharper focus on curated, high-value engagement over sheer volume, deeper integration of Tier-II and Tier-III markets, a stronger push on traveller safety and confidence-building, and greater flexibility in booking and pricing models as the travel landscape responds to ongoing global shifts.

A Milestone for India’s Travel and Tourism Sector

The launch also comes at a significant moment for India’s wider travel and tourism economy. With exhibitions recording almost 40% post-pandemic growth and over 1,000 organised exhibitions now hosted across India every year, the country is increasingly positioning itself as a preferred global destination for business events.

According to Ms Anita Mendiratta, Special Advisor to the Secretary General, UN Tourism, “Credible intelligence of the kind such as the one brought out by SATTE in partnership with EY is critical to informing policy, guiding investment, and shaping decisions that deliver lasting value for destinations, communities, businesses and travelers alike. SATTE’s collaboration with EY provides an important resource for policymakers, business leaders and stakeholders across India’s travel ecosystem.”

By independently measuring and documenting its economic footprint, SATTE has taken an important step towards strengthening evidence-based dialogue around the value created by business exhibitions, providing policymakers, investors and industry stakeholders with deeper insights into the role exhibitions play in driving tourism, trade and economic development.

Key Findings from the Report

The report independently quantifies SATTE’s economic contribution for the first time in the exhibition’s 33-year history while highlighting the wider ‘SATTE Multiplier Effect’.

SATTE 2026 generated an estimated direct economic impact of INR 193 crore.
SATTE 2026 generated over 45,000 man-days of employment, 50,000+ hotel room nights and 25,000+ flight bookings.
SATTE 2026 attracted 45,000+ total footfall (26,000+ unique visitors), 1,500+ exhibitors and delegations from over 60 countries across 37,000+ gross sq. m.
92% of exhibitors intend to re-exhibit in 2027 and 89% generated business leads.