Taking place from 1 to 3 September 2026 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, ITB India 2026 will connect key decision makers and industry experts from the MICE, corporate travel, incentive travel, hospitality and travel technology sectors.

At the centre of the three day event will be the ITB India Conference 2026, offering a platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas, examine emerging trends and discuss the opportunities and challenges influencing travel across India and South Asia.

The conference programme will run across two stages, the Knowledge & MICE Theatre and the Tech & Experience Theatre, and will feature four curated tracks: Knowledge, MICE & Corporate, Travel Technology, and Experiential Travel. Presentations, fireside chats and panel discussions will bring different perspectives from across the travel ecosystem.

Travel Industry Trends Take Centre Stage

At the Knowledge & MICE Theatre, speakers will examine the market forces influencing travel and the changing priorities of corporate travel and MICE professionals.

One of the key sessions, “The Next Battlegrounds in Travel: A Fireside Chat with MakeMyTrip”, will bring together Raj Rishi Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Flights, Corporate Travel, Gulf Countries & Marketing, MakeMyTrip, and Coney Dongre, Research Manager, Phocuswright. The discussion will explore how artificial intelligence, distribution, travel experiences, partnerships and market expansion could shape the next phase of the global travel industry.

Corporate travel will also feature prominently through “Corporate Travel in the Age of Disruption: What’s Next?”. Shenaz Kanorwalla, Associate Director, Head Business Travel and Events, Cipla; Devendra Saraiya, Executive Director, Procurement and Travel, Deloitte India; and Rakesh Negi, Head, Business Transformation & Customer Excellence, FCM Travel India, will join moderator Deepesh Jethwani, Vice President, Corporate Travel, Tripjack.

The session will look at the impact of geopolitical uncertainty, economic pressures and changing employee expectations on business travel and corporate mobility.

Technology and the New Traveller

At the Tech & Experience Theatre, the conversation will move towards travel technology, traveller behaviour and the new experiences influencing how people plan and experience their journeys. “Travel with Intent: How Values, Emotions and Purpose Shape the New Traveller” will feature Daniel Dsouza, Co-Founder, DreamSetGo; Capt. M Chouhan, Chief of Staff & Chief of Flight Safety, SkyWaltz; and Scott Wegener, Head of Asia Pacific, Tripadvisor.

The session will examine how changing values, emotions and motivations are influencing travel decisions and shaping the design of new travel experiences.

Technology adoption will be explored further in “From Digital Adoption to Digital Advantage in Travel”. Sandeep Dwivedi, Managing Director, Travel Sellers, India and the Subcontinent, Amadeus, and Nithyashree Sathyanarayanan, Associate Vice President, New Initiatives and Chief of Staff, The ePlane Company, will discuss how travel businesses can turn technology investments into stronger competitive advantages.

Cruise travel will also enter the MICE conversation through “Meetings at Sea, MICE Cruising in India”. Jude D’Souza, Meeting & Events Leader, India, FCM Meetings & Events; SD Nandakumar, President & Country Head, Holidays & Corporate Tours, SOTC Travel; and Naresh Rawal, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, StarDream Cruises India, will join moderator Nikhil Jeet, Director, Buzz Travel Marketing. The session will examine the potential for cruise experiences within meetings, incentives and corporate events in India.

A Broad Look at the Travel Ecosystem

Beyond the headline sessions, the ITB India Conference 2026 programme will cover a wide range of topics including MICE, corporate travel, hospitality, travel technology, cruise tourism, wellness and emerging areas of the travel industry.

Confirmed speakers include Harshad Donde, Country Director, India, BCD Meetings & Events; Rohit Kohli, Joint Managing Director, Creative Travel; Vivek Neb, EVP & Managing Director APAC & MEA and Global Head, Travel & Tourism, Escalent; Darshana Shirodkar, Senior Director, APAC Growth Markets, Expedia Group; Auptha Surlidev, Vice President & Head, Tourism, IDECK Limited; Sushmita Sarangi, Commercial Director, Taj Hotels, Head, J Wellness Circle; Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, Executive Director, Meaningful Tourism Centre Ltd; Gaurav Chiripal, Founder & CEO, QuadLabs; Kamaldeep Singh, Content & Travel Experience Leader, Spotnana; Saurav Chakraborty, Founder & CEO, Travel Buddy; and Deepak Choudhary, Founder & President, WTTA, Worldwide Travel & Tourism Association.

Together, the sessions will offer insights into the commercial, technological and strategic developments that are influencing travel across India and South Asia.

ITB India Introduces Leadership Roundtable with Simon-Kucher

ITB India 2026 will also introduce the inaugural ITB India Leadership Roundtable in partnership with global strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher.

The invitation only forum will bring together senior professionals from tourism, travel, hospitality, technology and destination development. Discussions will focus on India’s growing importance as both a major tourism destination and an increasingly influential source market for international travel.

“India is entering an exciting new phase in its tourism journey, with its growing importance as both a destination and a source market creating significant opportunities for the industry,” said Lovrenc Kessler, Senior Partner, Simon-Kucher. “This makes it particularly timely to bring leaders from across the tourism ecosystem together for an open exchange on how India can translate this momentum into sustainable, long-term growth. We are delighted to partner with ITB India on this inaugural Leadership Roundtable and contribute our global perspective and insights to the conversation.”

The new leadership forum adds another layer of senior level discussion to the ITB India 2026 programme, with a focus on long term opportunities and the changing role of India in the global tourism market.

ITB India 2026 Brings the Travel Industry Together in Mumbai

The ITB India Conference and Leadership Roundtable form part of the wider ITB India 2026 programme, which will bring together the leisure, MICE, corporate travel and travel technology communities for three days of business meetings, networking and knowledge exchange in Mumbai.

“Success in today’s travel industry depends not only on building new business relationships, but also on understanding the trends and market forces driving change,” said Darren Seah, Executive Director, Messe Berlin Asia Pacific. “The ITB India Conference complements the business opportunities on the exhibition floor by providing a platform where industry experts can share insights, challenge perspectives and discuss the ideas shaping the future of travel across India and South Asia. By bringing together leaders from across the industry, ITB India continues to foster meaningful dialogue, strengthen collaboration and create new opportunities for growth.”

With its focus on travel trends, artificial intelligence, corporate travel, MICE, technology, experiential tourism and India’s growing role in global travel, ITB India 2026 is set to offer industry professionals a closer look at where the sector is heading next.

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