SATTE launches its 1st ever independent Economic Impact Report, developed with EY
The Voice of Chandigarh | Travel Trade Reporter
Informa Markets in India, organiser of SATTE (South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange), marked a defining milestone in the exhibition’s 33-year journey with the launch of its first-ever independent Economic Impact Report, developed in partnership with EY. Unveiled at a special event at Le Méridien, New Delhi, the report independently measures SATTE’s economic contribution while highlighting the exhibition’s wider multiplier effect across India’s travel and tourism ecosystem.
The report was formally launched by Suman Billa IAS, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the evening’s Chief Guest. He was joined on stage for the unveiling by a distinguished array of dignitaries and industry leaders including Chavanart Thangsumphant, Ambassador of Thailand to India and members of the SATTE 2026 Award Jury: Dr. Abhay Sinha (Director General, SEPC-India), Ravi Gosain (President, IATO), Aashish Gupta (Consulting CEO, FAITH), Jyoti Mayal (Chairperson, THSC) and Meena Bhatia (VP & GM, Le Méridien New Delhi), along with Bhavesh Laddha, Director at EY Consulting, Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, and Pallavi Mehra, Senior Group Director, Informa Markets in India, and Publisher, Travel Trends Today.
Highlighting the significance of the newly launched impact assessment report, Billa said such studies are crucial in transforming perception into measurable evidence. “Reports like this convert intuition into evidence,” he said, noting that while the success of exhibitions is often judged anecdotally, data-driven assessments provide a clearer picture of their economic and industry-wide value.
“Exhibitions today are not just industry gatherings; they are engines for economic growth, accelerators of opportunity, and powerful platforms for intelligence. Platforms like SATTE create access for the smallest player to connect with the best buyers globally.”
“This report reveals the hidden economy of exhibitions; the spending on hotels, airlines, taxis, restaurants and local businesses that is often overlooked. The report is also a confidence barometer for both SATTE and the industry. Such reports help policymakers advocate with evidence and make better decisions,” he added, saying that events like SATTE must continue to grow from strength to strength.
In her welcome address, Mehra from SATTE highlighted the event’s evolution from a buyer-seller meet into one of South Asia’s most influential tourism business platforms, underscoring its role in connecting governments, destinations and industry stakeholders. She said the exhibition has become a launchpad for tourism boards and destinations seeking to engage with the Indian market and a confidence lever for participating states too. Citing the study, she noted that the exhibition generated an overall economic impact of INR 193 crore, contributed INR 27 crore in government revenues, reaffirming exhibitions as powerful drivers of tourism-led economic growth.
She also thanked the supporting associations- IATO, OTOAI, TAFI, TAAI, ADTOI, FAITH, PHDCCI, TIA, GAEHP, ICPB, IEIA, SEPC, PATA for their unwavering support and collaboration through the last three decades.
Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said, “This report marks a significant milestone in SATTE’s journey. For the first time, it independently measures the exhibition’s economic contribution while highlighting the wider value that business events create across the travel and tourism ecosystem. Beyond the three days of the exhibition, SATTE serves as a catalyst for partnerships, business growth and tourism activity that continue to generate value throughout the year. We hope the insights from this report serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, tourism boards, investors and industry stakeholders as they shape the next phase of growth for India’s travel and tourism sector.”
Giving further insights into the report, Bhavesh Laddha, Director, EY Consulting, concluded with a vote of thanks. “We are extremely proud to present SATTE’s Economic Impact Report. Today’s launch of the report, ‘One Event. Millions of Journeys.’, reflects precisely the scale and ripple effect that exhibitions can create. Considering even one percent of the business opportunities and MoUs initiated at the event resulted into actual transactions, the longer-term economic impact could run into an estimated 3000-4000 crore beyond the exhibition itself. We value the trust, collaboration and partnerships that are essential for industries and economies to continue growing,” he added.
Besides a wider presence from the industry associations and private stakeholders, the event was also attended by the senior officials and diplomats from the Embassies of Chile, Tanzania, Peru, Myanmar, Oman, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Turkiye, among others.
A Landmark Study for SATTE and India’s Travel Exhibition Industry
For over three decades, SATTE has served as a meeting ground for governments, tourism boards, destinations and businesses across the global travel value chain. With this landmark report, Informa Markets in India and EY have, for the first time in SATTE’s history, independently quantified the exhibition’s measurable economic contribution while reinforcing the broader role business exhibitions play in enabling tourism, trade, investment and long-term economic growth.
Beyond measuring the exhibition’s immediate economic contribution, the report introduces what it describes as the ‘SATTE Multiplier Effect’—the cascading economic value created when business concluded between destinations, tourism boards, travel agents and tour operators at the show translates into bookings, travel packages, accommodation, aviation demand, transportation, visitor spending and employment throughout the year.
While the study quantifies SATTE’s measurable economic contribution through direct, indirect and tax revenues, it also underscores that the exhibition’s wider influence extends well beyond the three days of the event as commercial relationships forged on the show floor continue to generate tourism activity and economic value across destinations throughout the year.
Key Findings from the Report
- SATTE 2026 generated over 45,000 man-days of employment, 50,000+ hotel room nights and 25,000+ flight bookings.
- SATTE 2026 attracted 45,000+ total footfall (26,000+ unique visitors), 1,500+ exhibitors and delegations from over 60 countries across 37,000+ gross sq. m.
- 92% of exhibitors intend to re-exhibit in 2027 and 89% generated business leads.
- 84% of visitors rated SATTE excellent or good value and 71% plan to attend SATTE 2027.
In his foreword to the report, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism & Culture, Government of India, said exhibitions “serve as engines of growth that stimulate trade, encourage entrepreneurship, attract investment and create value across entire economic ecosystems,” noting that SATTE “has established itself as South Asia’s leading travel and tourism exhibition.”
Shekhawat pointed to the Ministry’s “Meet in India” initiative and continued infrastructure development as part of the Government’s commitment to strengthening India’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) ecosystem.
The report also lays out a forward agenda for SATTE 2027, calling for sharper focus on curated, high-value engagement over sheer volume, deeper integration of Tier-II and Tier-III markets, a stronger push on traveller safety and confidence-building, and greater flexibility in booking and pricing models as the travel landscape responds to ongoing global shifts.
A milestone for India’s travel and tourism Sector
The launch also comes at a significant moment for India’s wider travel and tourism economy. With exhibitions recording almost 40% post-pandemic growth and over 1,000 organised exhibitions now hosted across India every year, the country is increasingly positioning itself as a preferred global destination for business events.
According to Anita Mendiratta, Special Advisor to the Secretary General, UN Tourism, “Credible intelligence of the kind such as the one brought out by SATTE in partnership with EY is critical to informing policy, guiding investment, and shaping decisions that deliver lasting value for destinations, communities, businesses and travellers alike. SATTE’s collaboration with EY provides an important resource for policymakers, business leaders and stakeholders across India’s travel ecosystem.”
By independently measuring and documenting its economic footprint, SATTE has taken an important step towards strengthening evidence-based dialogue around the value created by business exhibitions, providing policymakers, investors and industry stakeholders with deeper insights into the role exhibitions play in driving tourism, trade and economic development.
