India Strengthens Tourism Cooperation with Germany and Indonesia at ITB Berlin 2026
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, participated in ITB Berlin 2026, held from 3–5 March at Messe Berlin, Germany. The global travel industry event brought together tourism stakeholders from around the world and offered an opportunity for industry representatives to connect and explore partnerships.
India was represented by a delegation that included destination management companies, hoteliers, tour operators, and representatives from several State Governments and Union Territories. The India Pavilion at the exhibition was inaugurated by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, in the presence of Ajit Gupte, Ambassador of India to Germany.
During the event, the Union Minister of Tourism held bilateral meetings with Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, Minister of Tourism of Indonesia, and Dr Christoph Ploß, Federal Government Commissioner for Tourism in Germany. The discussions focused on strengthening tourism cooperation, improving connectivity, supporting sustainable travel practices, and promoting closer people-to-people engagement between the countries.
The minister also met Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary General of UNWTO, to discuss collaboration on sustainable tourism initiatives and approaches to tourism development.
Speaking at a press conference during the event, Shekhawat noted that Germany remains an important source market for tourism to India. In 2025, India recorded around 260,000 foreign tourist arrivals from Germany, placing it among the country’s leading international visitor markets.
At ITB Berlin, the Ministry of Tourism also launched two short films created in collaboration with Netflix. One film highlights India’s cultural traditions, festivals and heritage, while the other focuses on the diversity of Indian cuisine. The partnership between Incredible India and Netflix will produce a series of short promotional videos over the year, each highlighting different aspects of the country’s travel experiences, including food, festivals, adventure, wildlife and natural landscapes.
The India Pavilion at the event presented a range of tourism experiences across the country, including spiritual tourism, wellness travel, weddings, adventure activities, ecotourism and culinary journeys.
Several State Governments participated in the exhibition, including Rajasthan, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttarakhand, along with the Union Territories of Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. IRCTC and several tourism stakeholders also participated in the pavilion.
In total, 42 exhibitors from across India’s tourism sector participated in the pavilion, promoting their destinations and meeting with international travel partners. These interactions helped industry representatives explore business opportunities and build new partnerships.
Visitors to the India Pavilion also experienced elements of the country’s cultural traditions through interactive activities such as mehendi art, block printing and calligraphy demonstrations, offering a glimpse into India’s craft heritage.
ITB Berlin provided a platform for India’s tourism stakeholders to present the country’s travel offerings, engage with international partners and promote tourism experiences across different regions.
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