ITB Asia 2026: Kerala, J&K, MP pitch experiential travel in Singapore

Several Indian states are pitching their destinations to Asian travel buyers at ITB Asia 2026, a three-day travel trade show at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore that opened on 21 October and ends on Friday, 23 October 2026. An India Pavilion was opened jointly by Jammu and Kashmir minister Sakeena Itoo, Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Odisha Tourism Minister Pravati Parida and India's High Commissioner to Singapore, Dr Shilpak Ambule. Kerala and Madhya Pradesh have also set up their own pavilions, with experiential travel the common theme.

ITB Asia is one of the region's main meeting points for the people who decide where holidaymakers go: tour operators, travel agents, online travel companies, airlines and hotel groups. Holiday packages for the coming year are often shaped by deals and contacts made at such fairs. For an Indian state, a stand at the show is a way to get onto the lists of operators in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and other Asian markets, many of whom already sell India but only a few well-known circuits.

The pitch this year is about experiences rather than sightseeing. Kerala's theme, "Your Nearest Faraway", is aimed at travellers in South-East Asia who can reach the state on short flights but may see it as distant. Its offer centres on houseboat stays on the backwaters, Ayurveda treatments and cultural programmes. Mr Vishnunadh said these experiential offerings are gaining considerable interest among international tour planners, especially cultural and nature-based experiences. He also met the managing director of Ramoji Film City at the fair to discuss possible partnerships.

Jammu and Kashmir's delegation asked operators to add the region to their packages and portfolios. Its discussions covered pilgrimage travel, adventure circuits, winter sports and heritage sites. With the winter season approaching, snow destinations are a natural sell to visitors from tropical Asian countries, many of whom rarely see snow at home.

For Goa and Odisha, whose ministers helped open the India Pavilion, the fair is a chance to reach buyers before the peak winter season. Madhya Pradesh chose to take its own pavilion, which reports said drew interest from international travel buyers.

Short-term: State tourism departments will follow up the leads from their meetings in Singapore, and some operators may add new Indian itineraries for the winter and spring seasons.

Long-term: Steady participation at regional fairs can help states attract more foreign tourists from nearby Asian markets, where flights to India are short. More visitors spread across new destinations would bring income to homestays, guides, drivers and craftspeople beyond the usual circuits.

Who is affected: Tourism departments of Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Odisha, Indian tour operators and hotels, houseboat owners and Ayurveda centres in Kerala, adventure and pilgrimage service providers in Jammu and Kashmir, and travellers from Asian countries planning trips to India.

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