Industry gears up for SATTE 2013

SATTE 2013, which will be held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from 16-18 January, 2013 will witness a vast participation of many major Indian and global players. These participants have great expectations from SATTE as they see it as a platform to give their business from India momentum. P Manoharan, Director, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, believes SATTE is the right platform for the tourism board to update and equip the travel agents in India with all the relevant information they need to market Malaysia to their customers. Echoing his sentiments Runjuan Tongrut, Director, New Delhi Office, Tourism Authority of Thailand, said, "Being one of the largest exhibitors at SATTE 2013, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thai travel trade are expecting to meet more potential buyers and trade partners from India." For the first time at SATTE, Ethiopian Ministry Of Culture and Tourism, Changi Airport Singapore and Seychelles Tourism Board, also expect to establish their products in a big way in India. Brand USA, the tourism marketing entity set up under the travel Promotion Act in 2010 of US, sees SATTE as the most appropriate channel to create a buzz in the Indian travel and tourism market, "We aim to have a large delegation from US at SATTE 2013," said Jay Gray, VP, Partnership development, Brand USA. Representatives from other tourism boards, who have confirmed their participations at SATTE 2013 also have similar expectations from the expo. Dubai - Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has gradually built their presence at SATTE over the last six years and continues to expect larger inflow of buyers. Apart from NTOs, state tourism boards, hotels, airlines and tourism products also have bigger expectations from SATTE. "We will be targeting quality B2B customers - tour operators, DMCs and MICE operators and will expect to get the best return from the show," Dhananjay S. Saliankar, Regional Director – Starwood Sales Organisation, India and South Asia, said. Similarly, Accor expects to accelerate their business by promoting their brands at SATTE 2013. Some of the other exhibitors that are participating include Abu Dhabi Tourism, Accor Hotels, Cox & Kings, Department of Tourism – Goa, Bulgaria, Fiji Tourism, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Keys Hotels, Kenya Tourist Board, Ministry of Tourism Government Of India, Madhya Pradesh Tourism, Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation, Nepal Tourism Board, Oman, Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, Peppermint Hospitality India, Tourism New Zealand, Sri Lankan Airlines, Sahara Hospitality, Turkish Airlines, The Venetian Cotai, The Lalit Suri Group, Tourism & Civil Aviation Government of Himachal Pradesh, among others. According to organisers, SATTE 2013 will maintain a good visitor turnout including the right buyers, quality audience and repeat participants, who perceive SATTE as a great platform to reinforce relationships with their company's current partners and also believe that SATTE 2013 will help in fuelling their business. The enhanced buyer programme for SATTE 2013 offers an incentivised Pre-Scheduled Appointments (PSAs) system that allows buyers to schedule appointments ensuring opportunities for international and regional senior level buyers and decision makers to source new destinations, travel products and services on the show floor. International organisations and governing bodies including World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), US Commercial Service and International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP), Indian trade associations such as TAAI, TAFI, IATO, ADTOI, ATTOI, ETAA, OTOAI, IAAI and FHRAI, will continue to actively support SATTE this year too. SATTE Mumbai, its companion event, will be held at World Trade Centre on January 21-22, 2013. Considering exhibitors' feedback, overwhelming response by buyers and overall success, SATTE Mumbai West show in 2013 will be B2B exhibition format (showcase products & services at booths under bare or shell scheme) unlike its previous format of table top expo.

-www.satte.in