Recognizing tourism as an essential and vibrant growth sector, the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) announced here today the first-of-its-kind international travel and tourism event  Mumbai International Tourism Expo (MITE) 2010.  This prestigious event is organized by the Conference and Exhibition Management Services Pte Ltd (CEMS) and CEMS (India) Exhibitions Private Limited with the support of various Indian tourism organizations.

Set to be held at the Bombay Exhibition Center from January 7 to 9, 2010, MITE 2010 aims at providing an integrated business platform for local and international participants to showcase their products and services while creating an opportunity for them to meet the top decision makers of the industry.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Suresh Shetty, Honorable Minister of State for Tourism, Government of Maharashtra said, "Over the years, various attempts have been made at branding and promoting India for business, or as a viable tourism destination.  The heart of Maharashtra, Mumbai, has been a popular international destination.  Our efforts have yielded desired results and have impacted the economy in a positive way.  We, in the tourism sector, believe that now is the time to take our efforts to the next level by having a dedicated tourism event that will make a significant impact by not only opening Mumbai wider to the world but also making the Industry a significant contributor to our gross domestic product (GDP)."

"With MITE 2010, we explore a number of targeted influential segments to maximize and draw in the interest of local and international buyers and sellers for tourism-related business and activities during the MITE 2010 event.  With the incorporation of two high growth tourism sectors under the MICE India 2010 and the CRUISE India 2010 shows, we hope to shape a new trend in providing a wider spectrum of dynamic tourism opportunities as well as level the playing field for all key and aspiring tourism players of India and its counterparts around the world", added Mr. Edward Liu, Managing Director, CEMS. 

In India, 50,000 Indians set sail every year on different cruises, with an annual growth rate of 20% to 25% while the MICE segment is growing at a rate of 15% to 20% annually.  With the MICE India 2010 and the CRUISE India 2010 shows, MITE 2010 will embrace the entire value-chain of the global travel and tourism industry in India.

"These constructive efforts of putting ourselves on the international tourism map have been possible with the support of all our channel partners. It is our expectation that these programmes will usher us into a new era of Tourism promotion for Mumbai and beyond.  We intend to continue our efforts to sustain the interest generated, and we believe we can count on your support in our drive to make the first ever MITE 2010 a successful venture." concluded Mr. Suresh Shetty. 

While India's tourist inflow has experienced a remarkable surge, the outbound tourism in the country has also seen phenomenal explosion. The size of the Indian middle class currently stands at somewhere over 350 million; it is estimated that more than half of these people are less than 35 years old, for which travel is an exciting proposition. With the GDP in the country growing by 8% per annum, disposable incomes have increased rapidly (CAGR increase of 14.16 %), which has in-turn driven both domestic and outbound tourism considerably.   The Indian outbound tourist flow is expected to increase at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.30 per cent over the five-year period spanning from 2008 to 2012, according to RNCOS. This presents a significant strategic and business advantage for global travel and tourism players in this emerging market of India.

Sourced From: Corporate Voice|Weber Shandwick