The much-anticipated OTM 2025 kicked off today at the world-class Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. OTM emerged as the ultimate hotspot for the Indian travel industry, bringing together exhibitors from over 80 countries and 30 States to showcase their destinations, offerings, and innovation.
Inauguration by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
The event was inaugurated by Chief Guest Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Culture, Government of India, followed by an impressive panel of esteemed dignitaries, where Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared his thoughts on the future of the Indian tourist industry. The session was moderated by Kamiya Jani, Founder of Curly Tales.
OTM 2025 Participation and Exhibitors
This year, OTM saw 2,100+ exhibitors and tourism boards from more than 80 countries and 30 Indian states and union territories with over 40,000 qualified buyers from the travel industry.
Exclusive International Exhibitors
OTM is proudly showcasing exclusive participation from several countries that chose the event as their only major travel showcase in the region. These include Cambodia, France, Georgia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Maldives, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Tanzania, the Cayman Islands, Uganda, the USA, Visit Brussels and Visit Sarajevo.
Global Travel Destinations at OTM
In addition to these exclusive exhibitors, OTM 2025 featured official participation from some of the world’s most sought-after travel destinations, such as Azerbaijan, Egypt, Greece, Fiji, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moscow, Nepal, Peru, Qatar, Sri Lanka, St. Petersburg, Thailand, Pattaya, Sarawak, Tokyo among others.
Industry Panels: Hotel Industry and Travel Evolution
The first panel of the day, ‘What Comes Next for India’s Hotel Industry: Sustaining the Momentum and Navigating the Road Ahead’,stressed the extraordinary year the hotel industry has witnessed, marked by growing average daily rates and robust investor interest.
Following this, the session ‘India’s Travel Evolution: Bridging Tradition and Technology in a Unique Market’ dived into the country’s fast-evolving travel ecosystem. It also sheds light on how India is combining traditional hospitality practices with state-of-the-art digital innovation. In the next segment, ‘Emerging Destinations: Crafting Unique Value Propositions for Indian Travellers,’ the focus changed towards underlining new and unique travel destinations that are surging in popularity with Indian tourists. It discussed how these destinations offer custom-built features for an average Indian traveller.
Remarks by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
Hon’ble Minister of Tourism and Culture (Government of India), Gajendra Singh Shekhawat states “I congratulate Sanjeev Agarwal and the Fairfest Media team for organizing this impressive event, bringing together tourism boards and participants from across the globe.
Maintaining a successful show for over 30 years demonstrates the passion and dedication that has established OTM as one of Asia’s largest travel trade shows. Trade shows like OTM are playing a vital role in meeting India’s growing tourism demand. I commend the Fairfest team for their outstanding work in creating this valuable tourism expo.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Commitment to Tourism Growth
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to tourism promotion, stating that Tourism is a top priority for his government and are dedicated to positioning Jammu and Kashmir as a global tourism hotspot. “Our participation in events like OTM is a step toward achieving this vision”, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.
Satisfaction from Sanjiv Agarwal
Sanjiv Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Fairfest Media, Organisers of OTM, expressed satisfaction with the day’s success, stating, “The fact that OTM has established itself as Asia’s leading travel show, right here in Mumbai, underscores India’s pivotal role in shaping the future of global tourism.”
Cinematic Influence on Tourism: ‘CineLocales’ Panel
The momentous day concluded with a session on ‘CineLocales: Bringing Global Destinations & Locations to Indian Cinema.’ It explored how cinematic representations of international destinations impact Indian tourism and travel choices, with experts from the film industry, tourism boards and location managers conversing on the intersection of travel and cinema.
Additionally, the event offered an invitation-only prospect for C-suite professionals to network and engage in private dialogues about the future of local tourism and hospitality sectors, forming a platform for a healthy exchange of ideas.
OTM 2025: A Successful First Day
The first day of OTM 2025 was a resounding success, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities ahead. It set a strong foundation for the forthcoming days, promising key networking opportunities and new partnerships to advance Indian tourism.
