UBM India's SATTE gets off to a flying start in its 25th edition

         Receives  participation from record-breaking 1,000 plus exhibitors

         Representatives of over 50 countries and 28 Indian States line up a slew of launches

         Special pavilion of 10 start-ups

         Introduced I-Pledge campaign to promote sustainable tourism- Over 30,000 pledges have been registered

         Supported by UNWTO and Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

by Shrutee K/DNS

Mumbai, January 31st 2018: UBM India launched its most awaited travel and tourism exhibition, SATTE, in the national capital today. Celebrating the success of the Silver Jubilee edition of SATTE, South Asia’s leading travel and tourism exhibition, the three day event plays host to over 1,000 exhibitors and represents over 50 countries and 28 Indian states.

The expo got off to a start with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India, Ms Pallavi Mehra, Group Director, UBM India, Mr. Jime Essink, CEO, UBM Asia and Mr. Michael Duck, Executive Vice President, UBM Asia at Pragati Maidan among others, in the presence of an august industry congregation. As a prelude to the inauguration, the Silver Jubliee edition of SATTE was formally launched along with the second edition of the SATTE Awards on January 30 at Le Meridien New Delhi amidst an august industry gathering from the travel and trade fraternity.  The glitterati event was graced by Chief Guest Mr. KJ Alphons, Minister for Tourism (I/C), Govt. of India, along with Mr. T.S. Rawat, Chief Minister, Uttarakhand; Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog; Mr. Faiyaz Koya, Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism Fiji; Mr. I Gde Pitana Dy. Tourism Minister, Indonesia; Mr. Bo Keun Choi, Senior Officer, Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO; Mr. Subhash Goyal, Member, National Tourism Advisory Committee; Mr. Navin Berry, Founder, SATTE; Mr. Michael Duck, Executive Vice President, UBM Asia and Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India.

SATTE provides a comprehensive platform to domestic and international buyers and professionals from across the travel, tourism and hospitality industry along with National and State Tourism Boards (NTOs and STOs) to congregate and conduct business, arrive at solution-driven innovations to counteract economic uncertainties, and promote inbound, outbound and domestic tourism in India. This most favoured industry platform is also well-supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Govt. of India.

Over a span of three days, SATTE 2018 is set to witness several exciting partnerships and announcements that promise to augur in new trends in the industry. Visitors at the signature expo witnessed a number of features including a special pavilion of 10 start-ups, as well as a live show at ‘Colors of SATTE’ apart from other captivating engagements. This year, SATTE was also happy to engage its exhibitors and visitors to pledge for sustainable tourism under the unique I-Pledge initiative where they pledged to conserve natural reserve; respect and save wildlife; say no to plastic; dispose waste smartly and travel responsibly.  Over 30,000 pledges have been registered at last count.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Silver Jubilee edition of SATTE, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India said, “The tourism industry has been a major engine in the economic growth of India. While it contributes almost 7% to nation’s GDP, it also provides over 12% of the total employment in terms of jobs. The industry itself has been growing at an unparalleled rate. This is evident from the very fact that the country is now ranked 40th in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index in 2017, a huge leap of 25 places from 2013. As the disposable income rises and more Indians travel, the industry is only poised to flourish further.” “From hosting tourism boards from across the nation and the world under one roof to providing a unique opportunities for discussions pertaining to trending subjects like sustainable tourism, travel technology, skill development by acknowledged industry thought leaders, SATTE has carved a unique place as the most comprehensive industry platform in the country. This year, we are proud to achieve a milestone with the Silver Jubilee edition of SATTE, celebrating and encapsulating 25 years of success in the domain. With an aim to analyse and forecast trends and developments in the travel trade industry along with helping businesses prosper, SATTE 2018 promises not only constructive but also informative and engaging three days”,he further added.

SATTE continues to receive the support of international organizations and Indian travel trade associations such as World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) and IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), to name a few.

Record participation: From Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa & Odisha and Himachal Pradesh to Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Uttrakhand, Delhi, Jharkhand, Andaman and West Bengal, SATTE 2018 featured an array of State Tourism Boards, with many of them increasing their presence at the 25th edition. The eight North Eastern states have participated in the Incredible India Pavilion of the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India.

As far as NTOs are concerned, Spain, Peru, Czech Republic, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Turkey, Philippines, Japan, South Korea, Fiji, New Zealand, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Israel, Sharjah, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mauritius, Indonesia, Abu Dhabi, Visit Russia, Visit Florida and Las Vegas and Oman, amongst others showcased their destination and launches. SATTE 2018 witnessed the return of Taiwan, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Philippines on the floor. While Turkey, Thailand, Srilanka and Dubai are Partner countries, Mauritius and Madame Tussauds are feature destination and feature attraction respectively. Similarly, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Goa, Odisha and Jammu & Kashmir are Partner States for this year with the show being supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India.

In its 25^th edition, the expo has witnessed an increase in participation from an array of hospitality players and products such as -- Movenpick, Neemrana, Treebo, Sterling Resorts, Minor Hotels, Dusit, Melia Hotels International, Shangri -La Hotels and Resorts, DS Group, Choice Hotels, Abad Hotels, Lords Hotels, Alcon Victor Goa, Zen and Singge Palace from Ladakh, Grand Imperial Agra, Somatheeram, Ramada Kerala, Ananta Resorts, Venetian Cotai, Ayana Resorts Bali,  Marasa Africa, Banyan Tree,  Disneyworld Paris, EuropeCar, The Ultimate Travelling Camp and many more.

Insightful conferences: One of the key features of SATTE 2018 is the conference programme on all three days of the expo that promises industry discussions and sharing of new insights pertaining to the sector and industry best practices. During this time, SATTE is hosting six panel discussions that will bring together stakeholders of the industry on a single platform, allowing exchange of ideas that will add value to Indian tourism at large. The sessions of the conference touched on topics such as – ‘How to realize effective collaboration between stakeholders for sustainable tourism?’, ‘How can we achieve the successful journey to 2030?’; ‘Visa Reforms & Tourism Growth’; Travel Technology; MICE, Cruise Tourism and Niche Tourism, to name a few. The three day conference will also see destination presentations by tourism boards such as -- Czech Tourism, Egypt, Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City, West Bengal; a product presentation by Tragly and a Workshop and a panel discussion on Skill Development in the Hospitality Sector.

Recognising the Best: As a pre-cursor to the expo, UBM India hosted the second edition of the SATTE Awards. The awards was an endeavour to recognize and celebrate the excellence, achievements and innovations of key stakeholders in the Travel and Tourism industry and was based on transparent, authentic and genuine parameters, a philosophy which is imbibed in the values of SATTE. The awards night also included networking opportunities, presentations and other features. The 23 categories of awards covered various segments of the travel and tourism industry including tour operators, hotels, destinations, online travel portals, to name just a few. In just its second year, the Awards received an overwhelming response from the travel and industry. The winners list:

Sr. No	Category	Sub Category	Winner
1	Excellence in Adventure Tour Operations		Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt Ltd
2	Excellence in Domestic Tour Operations	Operations less than 5 Years	Andaman Experts
3	Excellence in Domestic Tour Operations	Operations more than 5 Years	Thomas Cook India
4	Excellence in Inbound Tour Operations	Operations less than 5 Years	India City Walks
5	Excellence in Inbound Tour Operations	Operations more than 5 Years	Creative Travel Pvt Ltd
6	Excellence in Outbound Tour Operations	Operations less than 5 Years	Guiddoo World Travels
7	Excellence in Outbound Tour Operations	Operations more than 5 Years	Cox and Kings Ltd
8	Excellence in Customer Service – Hospitality	Boutique Hotel	Raintree Hotel
9	Excellence in Customer Service – Hospitality	Budget Hotel	Hotel Daspalla
10	Excellence in Customer Service – Hospitality	Luxury Hotel	Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort Noida
11	Excellence in Customer Service - MICE (Hotels)		Sayaji Hotels
12	Excellence in MICE Segment – Hotels		Grand Hyatt Mumbai
13	Excellence in Environmental Sustainability - Hotels		Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort Noida
14	Excellence in Environmental Sustainability - Hotels		Madhuban Resort & Spa
15	Innovation in Hotel Design		Roseate House
16	Innovation in Hotel Marketing & Communications		Andaz Delhi
17	Excellence in Destination Tourism	Tourism Boards	South African Tourism
18	Excellence in Destination Tourism	Tourism Promotion Agencies	Destination India
19	Excellence in Online Travel Booking Sites		MakemyTrip Ltd
20	Excellence in Travel Blogging	Company Operated Blog	Cleartrip Pvt Ltd
21	Excellence in Travel Blogging	Individual Operated Blog	Rachel Jones (Hippie in Heels)
22	Lifetime Achievement Award		Aswani Lohani
23	Innovative Tourism Product		Heritage Car Museum

Dignitary speak:

Bo Keun Choi, Senior Officer, Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): “Globally, we crossed the mark of 1.3 billion travellers this year. The growth rate to be expected in the upcoming years for the travel and tourism industry is around 7%. India is one of the leading countries with almost 16% contribution to the industry. I appreciate SATTE’s contribution over the years in getting the industry together, and also its campaign I-Pledge, that promotes the cause of sustainable tourism, thereby giving us the opportunity to pledge for and promote sustainable tourism and create a better world to live in.”

KJ Alphons, Minister for Tourism (I/C), Govt. of India: “It is a pleasure to attend a platform such as SATTE that brings the entire industry together. Let me tell you,  2017 has been amazing for India from tourism perspective. We had a growth of 15.2% in terms of foreign tourist arrivals. When it comes to domestic tourism, we had 1.8 billion travels (not travelers) in the country.  In three years from now, we aim to double the amount of international tourists arrival in India, increase the contribution of tourism industry to GDP to 10% from the current 6.8% and double the employment contribution. Honestly, tourism is the best weapon against terrorism anywhere in the world, apart from its other obvious advantages.”

Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog: “Statistics show that more tourists visit Singapore & Malaysia but the truth is that India is a long haul destination. 97.2% people come to India by air and the average stay is 14-20 days -- one of the highest duration for travelers around the world. Therefore, India’s earnings from tourists are much greater than many of the other countries etc. Of course, it is up to us to make this duration extremely attractive and rich in experiences. And that’s where an exhibition like SATTE comes to the fore with its reserves of ideas and thought leadership. “I am proud of my association with SATTE as I remember attending the first edition of the show and learning a lot from it. SATTE taught me sound strategies that helped a lot in conducting business and ensuring maximum customer satisfaction.”

About UBM India:UBM India is India's leading exhibition organizer that provides the industry with platforms that bring together buyers and sellers from around the world, through a portfolio of exhibitions, content led conferences & seminars. UBM India hosts over 25 large scale exhibitions and 40 conferences across the country every year; thereby enabling trade across multiple industry verticals. A UBM Asia Company, UBM India has offices across Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. UBM Asia is owned by UBM.www.ubmindia.in.