On September 1, 2026, the much-anticipated ITB India 2026 officially opened at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. As a premier B2B marketplace for the global travel industry in India and South Asia, the three-day expo runs through September 3. The event focuses on core sectors including leisure travel, MICE, business travel, and travel technology, offering global travel professionals an unparalleled opportunity to connect with regional and international partners, gain cutting-edge market insights, and explore future growth pathways. The expo is expected to draw over 3,000 industry professionals, including more than 400 rigorously vetted hosted buyers, and feature over 100 globally renowned travel brands, all gathered to witness the grand opening of this premier industry event.
At the opening ceremony, representatives from government agencies, tourism organizations, industry associations, and Messe Berlin gathered to mark this milestone moment. In his opening address, Darren Seah, Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia-Pacific, stated, "India and the South Asian region continue to offer tremendous opportunities for the global travel industry, and the robust international participation seen at this year's ITB India clearly underscores the global industry's strong focus and keen interest in these emerging markets." He further emphasized that by facilitating targeted matchmaking between global suppliers and professional buyers, and seamlessly integrating business meetings with industry insights, networking, and high-level dialogues, ITB India has successfully created a highly valuable B2B marketplace, fostering new relationships and ideas that translate into long-term business partnerships.
This year's expo has attracted travel brands from Southeast Asia, South Asia, Europe, Africa, Northeast Asia, and South America to showcase their offerings. The event brings together numerous internationally renowned companies and organizations, including Columbia Pictures Aquaverse, DoubleTree by Hilton Jakarta Kemayoran, Halong International Cruise, Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta, IHCL, MakeMyTrip, Northern Lights Villages, oneworld alliance, Philippine Airlines, Sarawak Tourism Board, Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts, Tokyu Hotels Japan, and Visit Maldives Corporation. In addition, ITB India 2026 has received strong support from a wide range of travel trade and industry associations in India and internationally, further deepening ties with travel agencies, tour operators, MICE professionals, and the broader travel community across the country. The supporting associations feature an impressive roster of over a dozen core organizations, including the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), the Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA), the Global Travel Agents Association (GTAA), the Network of India MICE Agents (NIMA), the Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), Skal International India, the Travel Industry Association (TIA), the Pune Travel Agents Association (TAAP), the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), the Nashik Travel Agents Association (TAAN), the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), and the Uttar Pradesh Travel Trade Association (TTAUP).
Held concurrently with the exhibition, the ITB India Conference 2026 focuses on the transformative forces reshaping the travel industry and their profound impact on businesses in India, South Asia, and beyond. Within the Knowledge & MICE Theatre and the Tech & Experience Theatre, the conference has carefully curated four core thematic tracks: Knowledge, MICE & Business, Travel Technology, and Experiential Travel. These tracks not only enrich the commercial activities on the exhibition floor but also provide a platform for intellectual exchange, enabling the industry to delve into the key trends influencing business strategies, traveler behavior, and the future direction of the sector. Highlights include the MICE Leaders Forum, exploring the future drivers of the MICE industry in India and South Asia; the Tech Leaders Forum, focusing on the industry's shift from digital adoption to digital advantage; the Hospitality Forum, discussing the balance between innovation and tradition; and the Experiential Travel Forum, analyzing how values, emotions, and purpose are shaping the new generation of travelers.
Notably, this year's edition marks the debut of the ITB India Leadership Roundtable. Co-hosted by ITB India and the renowned global strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher, this exclusive event provides a dedicated strategic platform for senior decision-makers in travel, hospitality, travel technology, investment, destination management, and government. In this invite-only closed-door session, industry leaders engaged in in-depth discussions on core topics such as India's growing outbound travel market, destination competitiveness, connectivity, the investment climate, technological innovation, and public-private partnerships, comprehensively examining India's dual positioning as a premier tourist destination and an increasingly vital global source market. Furthermore, the on-site networking program was equally vibrant. The ITB India Happy Hour on the first day provided a relaxed, informal environment for exhibitors, buyers, and professionals to connect, while the highly anticipated return of the Cruise Capsule on the second day brought together cruise experts, travel trade leaders, and MICE specialists for an afternoon dedicated to exploring development opportunities in India's cruise market.
As a vital member of the ITB global brand family, ITB India has been committed to connecting the Indian travel market since its inception. Looking ahead, the ITB brand portfolio will continue to expand its global footprint: ITB Asia will take place in Singapore from October 21 to 23, 2026, deepening its focus on the Asia-Pacific market; the inaugural ITB Americas is scheduled for November 10 to 12, 2026, in Guadalajara, Mexico, covering the Americas market; the world's leading travel trade show, ITB Berlin, will return to Berlin, Germany, from March 16 to 18, 2027; and ITB China, dedicated to the Chinese travel market, is set to open in Shanghai from May 25 to 27, 2027. This comprehensive global layout not only highlights ITB's profound legacy of over 50 years in the travel industry but also provides global travel professionals with year-round, uninterrupted knowledge sharing, trend insights, and business matchmaking services.