The 34th South Asia Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE), scheduled for January 19–21, 2027, will host more than 400 international buyers under a single platform. Organized in partnership with ATITHI, the event seeks to deepen connections between India and global tourism stakeholders, as announced during the World Tourism Day Leadership Meet 2026 in Delhi on September 30. This edition will expand buyer engagement beyond previous iterations, bringing together 100 industry leaders, including diplomats from Nicaragua, Maldives, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, and Japan, alongside representatives from tourism boards and trade associations. Among the attendees were Nadeska Cuthbert, Nicaragua’s ambassador, and Kosuke Matsumura, director of the Japan National Tourism Organization.
Dr. He emphasized the event’s role in creating a focused platform for overseas business facilitators, both buyers and sellers, to interact directly. The program will feature structured B2B sessions aimed at strengthening ties between Indian tourism providers and international partners.
Pallavi Mehra, senior group director of SATTE, highlighted that sustainable growth in tourism depends on meaningful engagement rather than visitor numbers alone. She framed the partnership between ATITHI and SATTE as a bridge between global buyers and India’s destinations, businesses, and travel communities.
Industry challenges were also addressed during the discussions. Pronab Sarkar, owner of Swagatam Tours, noted that India’s outbound tourism currently exceeds inbound tourism by fourfold, driven by travelers seeking international experiences. He argued that India’s appeal as a destination surpasses that of many other countries combined and called for intensified marketing efforts to enhance its global competitiveness.
Without targeted marketing, he said, India cannot effectively promote its tourism offerings on the world stage. He pointed to infrastructure upgrades, including plans to expand the airport network to 163 terminals and increase aircraft fleets to 1,600–1,800 within the next few years. Despite current geopolitical uncertainties, he expressed confidence that demand would recover over time.
The event also drew attention to government initiatives supporting tourism exports. The scheme consists of two components: Niryat Protsahan, which provides credit and collateral support, and Niryat Disha, which focuses on global market access.
For tourism, Niryat Disha offers financial assistance for international marketing, including reimbursements for exhibition participation, airfare, and buyer hosting at events like ATITHI. It also funds market research, foreign language training, and digital skill development for travel professionals. The TRACE component covers accreditation and regulatory compliance costs for overseas operations, while Niryat Protsahan helps businesses secure affordable trade finance and collateral-backed credit to address working capital needs.
Sinha characterized the EPM scheme as a shift from older incentive models like the Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS) to a structured approach focused on building market readiness.