All Eyes on India at the Great India Travel Bazaar 2013

What’s with India and tourism? Everything good! Tourists from all over the world are making their way to India this year to visit its breathtakingly beautiful and vibrant attractions, to be a part of its unique festivals and to experience a traditional culture infused with modern vitality and spirit. One of the biggest contributors to our economy, tourism is something that needs perennial promotion. And that’s what the Great Indian Travel Bazaar focuses on when it kicks off on April 14, 2013 at Jaipur; courtesy FICCI, Government of Rajasthan and Ministry of Tourism.

Tourism in India offers big opportunities to entrepreneurs in the growing travel space. The Great Indian Travel Bazaar is the perfect platform for aggregating various stakeholders in the field in one place to focus on strategies reinforcing India’s position as a top travel destination. So what will be the mechanics of the travel mart? Read on to find out.

The Bazaar

The Great Indian Travel Bazaar aims at reiterating India’s growing importance in world tourism and expects to see more than 160 delegates from nearly 42 countries at this annual trade show. The domestic corporate sector is heavily represented with more than 4500 professionals from the sector and nearly 500 suppliers of tourism products. So what’s going to keep these milling crowds busy?

Several focused events have been planned; most awaited are B2B sessions to facilitate direct buyer-seller interactions and a 2-day exposition dedicated to Indian sellers for highlighting the different facets of inbound tourism through their products and services. With hundreds of foreign and domestic representatives, the atmosphere will be ripe for partnership and branding opportunities. A buyer-seller directory will also be released during the event which closes on April 16, 2013.

Practically Speaking

Jaipur is on the Golden Triangle of tourism in the country and is easily accessible by air, train or car from New Delhi as well as other major cities. If you don’t mind tottering across the countryside and want to soak in some culture, get on a bus from New Delhi to Jaipur.

All the action will take place at the centrally located (and very spacious!) B.M.Birla Auditorium and you can choose from several accommodation options close by. Pick from Lal Mahal Palace Hotel, Cambay Golf Resort, Diggi Palace – a heritage property, or the more affordable Peppermint Hotel – all within half a mile from the venue. You’d be hitting Jaipur in the midst of the tourist season so book pillow space before you leave!

Beyond the Bazaar

Although there will be several cultural programs organized at the travel mart, don’t miss the golden opportunity of visiting some famous city attractions while here. Visit the sprawling Amber Fort, the Abhaneri Step Well, the Birla Temple and the Hawa Mahal. Some other worthwhile attractions are: Royal Gaitor Tumbas (the royal cremation site), Monkey Temple and the City Palace.

Shop at the famed Babu Market in the Pink City during the day and pick up bandhani fabric and garments as well as traditional footwear. Spend an evening at Chokhi Dani - a virtual village a few kilometres out of Jaipur for a rural fair like atmosphere replete with camel rides and a memorable sit-down dinner. Jaipur is the city of kings and there’s no better place to negotiate the new tide in tourism in the country than here. That’s mixing business with pleasure and no one’s complaining!

Planning a trip to Jaipur? Choose from a variety of flights, trains and hotels only at MakeMyTrip!