Vinod Bhat
New Delhi: The 14th International Tourism Mart (ITM), organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in association with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern States, successfully concluded its main sessions today in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. The Mart is being organised from 29 to 31 October 2026, which brought together domestic and international tourism stakeholders to showcase the tourism potential of the North Eastern Region, strengthen business partnerships and promote sustainable and experience-based tourism.
The Mart witnessed participation of 43 international buyers from 22 countries, 42 domestic buyers from 16 States and Union Territories and 81 sellers, along with media representatives, influencers and tourism stakeholders. The participating countries included Australia, Belarus, Bhutan, Egypt, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Mart’s deliberations concluded with the Regional Meeting of Tourism Ministers of the North Eastern States, held on 30 October 2026 under the chairmanship of Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The meeting brought together Tourism Ministers and senior officials from the North Eastern States to discuss tourism development priorities, regional cooperation, emerging tourism opportunities and measures to improve tourist facilitation across the region.
During the meeting, thematic presentations were made to the Tourism Ministers on Dekho Apna Desh 2.0 and the National Digital Tourism Stack (NDTS). The presentation on Dekho Apna Desh 2.0 focused on the Mission for Redistribution of Tourism Demand and Promotion of Lesser-Known Destinations, aimed at promoting tourism-ready destinations as alternatives to popular tourist centres. The presentation on NDTS highlighted the development of a common digital tourism ecosystem to improve the discoverability of tourism experiences, enable online bookings and enhance market access for local tourism service providers, including guides, homestays and tourism entrepreneurs.
Presentations were also made on the Live Concert Economy and Restricted Area Permit (RAP)/Protected Area Permit (PAP) requirements in the North Eastern Region. The discussions on the live events economy highlighted the potential of music concerts, cultural festivals and other events to attract tourists, encourage longer stays and generate opportunities for local businesses. The presentation on RAP/PAP requirements focused on improving tourist facilitation through simplified application procedures, greater clarity on permit requirements and timely processing, while taking into account security considerations. Tourism Ministers from the eight North Eastern States also shared their views and suggestions on tourism development priorities and regional cooperation.
A major component of the International Tourism Mart was the structured business-to-business (B2B) meetings, which provided a platform for direct engagement between domestic and international buyers and tourism sellers. A total number of 1580 B2B meetings were held, facilitating opportunities for developing new tourism itineraries, establishing commercial partnerships and promoting tourism products and experiences across the North Eastern States.
Earlier, during the technical sessions, Shri Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, delivered the keynote address highlighting India’s significant growth in domestic tourism, with Domestic Tourist Visits increasing from 1.32 billion in 2014 to 4.34 billion in 2025, registering a CAGR of approximately 11%. He noted that the tourism sector supports 89 million jobs and contributes 5.22% to the national GDP. Highlighting improvements in connectivity, he stated that the number of airports in the North Eastern
Region has increased from 9 in 2014 to 17, while the national highway network has expanded from 10,905 km to 16,207 km. He also underscored the region’s investment potential and opportunities for community-led tourism growth, particularly through homestays, adventure, eco, wellness and experiential tourism.
The technical sessions also featured presentations by all eight North Eastern States—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura—showcasing their tourism attractions, emerging destinations and tourism circuits.
The Mart was inaugurated on 29 October 2026 in the presence of Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture; Shri Suresh Gopi, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum & Natural Gas; Shri Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh; Shri Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim; and other dignitaries. Addressing the inaugural session, Shri Shekhawat emphasised the importance of translating the region’s tourism potential into sustainable business opportunities and livelihoods for local communities.
The Mart also showcased the rich cultural and natural heritage of the North Eastern Region through the North East Bazaar, featuring traditional handicrafts, handlooms, textiles and regional products, along with cultural programmes highlighting the traditions of the region. Curated visits for delegates and media representatives included Tawang Monastery, Tawang War Memorial and Urgelling Gompa.
On the last day, technical visits to Buddha Park, PTSO Lake and Shernup Village are scheduled for 31 October 2026. Post-Mart familiarisation (FAM) tours for international delegates will commence from Guwahati on 1 November 2026, providing opportunities to experience tourism destinations and products across the North Eastern Region.
The 14th edition marked the return of the International Tourism Mart to Tawang after 13 years, following the second edition held here in 2013. The Mart reaffirmed the commitment to strengthening tourism partnerships, promoting lesser-known destinations and positioning the North Eastern Region as a leading destination for sustainable and experience-based tourism.
