OTM 2024 to Connect 35,000 Travel Professionals with Over 1,600 Exhibitors
The winter edition of the OTM 2024 will take place February 8-10 at the Jio World Convention Centre, BKC, Mumbai, aiming to promote invaluable connections within the travel industry.
The leading travel show in Asia, OTM each year brings together India and Asia’s travel community under one roof. More than 35,000 travel tourism professionals, Tourism Ministers, CEOs of travel brands, and businesses from all Indian States and the world attend OTM each year, which is organized by Fairfest Media Limited.
With over 1,600 exhibitors and more than 35,000 industry professionals from 80+ countries and 30 Indian States & UTs, the event will see the debut of new countries in the Indian market via OTM. Additionally, destinations that have previously been promoted in India are making a substantial impact by showcasing themselves with larger pavilions. The show size has grown by over 50 percent compared to its 2023 edition.
According to the organizers, amidst and post-pandemic, domestic travel became a crucial pillar for the hospitality industry, persisting as local travelers stepped in to compensate for the absence of international visitors. Following the reopening of international travel, Indian explorers displayed an insatiable appetite for new experiences. Despite facing visa obstacles and disruptions in some countries, their appetite for travelling remained undiminished.
The journey of OTM mirrors India’s remarkable surge in domestic and outbound travel. With a notable increase of 10 million outbound travelers in 2023 compared to the previous year, the Indian market demonstrated resilience and vitality. Analysts predict that collective spending on outbound trips will surpass $42 billion by the end of 2024, solidifying India’s position as one of the most lucrative outbound tourism markets globally. This significant growth sets the stage for OTM 2024, positioned to shape the future landscape of the travel industry.
OTM 2024 already registers 95% sold-out exhibition space
This year’s edition has already achieved a groundbreaking 95 percent sold-out exhibition space, a testament to its focus on quality when it comes to networking and the overall trade show experience. Tourism boards and private stakeholders from more than 60 countries are expected to participate, showcasing a diverse range of global and domestic travel offerings across two separate exhibition floors of over 250,000 sq. ft., including 35+ country pavilions in the three-day expo.
The largest international pavilion at OTM 2024 will be from Saudi Arabia, with Sri Lanka, Qatar, Bahrain, Morocco, and Azerbaijan following. Among the Indian States, Uttarakhand takes the lead in size, closely followed by Kerala, Gujarat, Jammu, and others. In the private sector, some of the most substantial pavilions are from Travel Boutique Online, followed by NEOM and Tripjack.
The list of participating countries also includes Greece and other European countries such us Italy, Poland, Russia and Turkey. In a bid to promote the Greek capital city as a top travel destination in India‚ the This is Athens – Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Greek National Tourism Organization will represent Greece in the Indian tourism market.
This year’s edition of OTM, the most impactful one to date, helps exhibitors to engage with a varied audience comprising vetted travel agents, tour operators, MICE & corporate buyers, wedding planners, and film, TV & OTT producers. The event presents a unique opportunity for businesses to tap into the expansive Indian market, which represents a significant portion of domestic and outbound travel. In addition, OTM hosts over 300 qualified trade buyers nationwide, showcasing the extensive reach and potential of the event. Travel trade buyers from across India have registered as visitors, set to engage with thousands of sellers during the three-day exhibition.
“98 percent of our exhibitors in 2023 stated that OTM effectively connects them with their desired business audience. The event has emerged as the leading travel trade show in not only India but all of Asia in 2023. OTM 2024 has consolidated further on this lead, with the show growing approximately by 50% in the area and revenues,” said Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman & CEO of Fairfest Media Ltd.
He further added, “The pandemic shock and geopolitical shifts thereafter have put India on a sweet spot in both, domestic and outbound travel, which is reflected in the unprecedented growth of OTM 2024. World class facilities at the recently opened JWCC have also helped immensely.”
According to a survey recently conducted by Ipsos, the world’s third-largest market research agency, OTM is voted the Leading Travel Show in India and across Asia in 2023. It surpassed its competition, with 62 percent of respondents acknowledging it as the top show in India and 50 percent recognizing it as the premier event in Asia. Additionally, 77 percent rated OTM positively, considering it equal to or better than some of the leading international exhibitions.
The Greek Travel Page (GTP) is the media sponsor of the event.