IITM Bengaluru Brings Travel Industry Together

The India International Travel Mart (IITM) Bengaluru 2026 was inaugurated on 23 July at Tripura Vasini, Palace Grounds, Bengaluru, bringing together tourism stakeholders from across India and overseas for a three-day business event.

The exhibition was inaugurated by K.J. George, Minister for Energy and Tourism, Government of Karnataka. The ceremony was attended by senior government officials and travel industry representatives, including Dr V Ram Prasath Manohar, IAS, Secretary, Government of Karnataka; Shivaprasad PR, IAS, Managing Director, KSTDC Ltd.; Sivaram Babu, IFS, Managing Director, Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd.; K. Syamaraju, President, SIHRA and Karnataka Tourism Society; Amish Desai, MC Member, TAAI; Jyoti Varma, Country Manager – India, Global Business Travel Association; Sanjeevi Singh, Chairperson – South India, ETAA; Mahalingaiah, Chairman, IATO; and Ganesh Basavaraj, Vice President, Karnataka Tourism Forum.

Running from 23 to 25 July 2026, the exhibition has brought together tourism boards, state tourism departments, international destinations, hotels, resorts, airlines, cruise companies, destination management companies, travel technology providers, travel agents and other tourism businesses.

The event serves as a platform for exhibitors to showcase products, connect with travel buyers and develop new business partnerships. Buyers from Bengaluru, along with cities including Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Belagavi, Davangere, Shivamogga, Salem, Coimbatore, Erode and Tirupati, are participating in the event.

Speaking at the inauguration, K.J. George said tourism continues to support Karnataka’s economy by generating employment, encouraging entrepreneurship and promoting the state’s cultural and natural heritage. He added that events such as IITM help strengthen collaboration across the tourism industry.

Dr V Ram Prasath Manohar said tourism contributes to employment, investment and economic development, adding that Karnataka aims to strengthen partnerships between the government, investors and the tourism sector to support future growth.

Rohit Hangal, Director, Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., said Bengaluru remains an important source market for travel and that IITM provides exhibitors with opportunities to engage directly with travel buyers, tour operators, corporate planners and other industry professionals.

The IITM Bengaluru exhibition features more than 850 exhibitors, representing domestic and international destinations, leisure travel, pilgrimage tourism, adventure tourism, wellness tourism, MICE, cruises, hospitality, travel technology, insurance and related services. Business networking sessions, destination presentations, product launches and B2B meetings are also being held during the event.

Karnataka is the host state for IITM Bengaluru 2026, while Odisha Tourism, Kerala Tourism and Rajasthan Tourism are partner states. Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Tourism are participating as feature states, with Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Diu and Daman, and Lakshadweep among the focus destinations. Fly91 is the partner airline for the event.

Commenting on the exhibition, Sanjay Hakhu, Director, Sphere TravelMedia, said Bengaluru continues to be an important source market for domestic, international, leisure and business travel. He added that IITM provides tourism organisations with opportunities to build partnerships and expand business across the travel ecosystem.

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