The first Incentive Travel, Conventions & Meetings (ITC&M) India ‘showcase’ kicked off at the India Expo Centre, Delhi, with a modest claim from organisers TTG Asia that this was the first time anybody had attempted to stage a commercial meetings industry project in the country. But there was previous little support for the project from India-based suppliers.

TTG’s Darren Ng admitted the event was small with just 350 participants but pointed to a ratio of 2.6 buyers to every seller as a positive angle to those plying their wares to the emerging Indian market.

He said: “I think the show can be much better in the future but this is a first step in the right direction. We would have liked to have had more Indian exhibitors and buyers but we need to fine-tune our relationship with the India Convention Promotion Bureau and we are meeting with them here to discuss how we might improve things. I think there was some confusion over the positioning of the Convention Conclave this week where many Indian suppliers were in attendance.”

The Indian suppliers were indeed in short supply at ITC&M. Most exhibitors were from Southeast Asia. Of the 1,200 or so square metres of sold exhibit space, the only major India presence was from the India Convention Promotion Bureau, the partner organisation, with only Taj Hotels and Marriott from the venue sector. However, there were several India destination management companies in the hall and there was a healthy buzz of activity on the first day of the show.

The two-day trade show provides one-on-one appointments with the 151 hosted buyers in attendance in addition to India-based organisers. Ng claimed that sellers would be able to achieve more than 100 appointments during the event. The exhibition is organised in conjunction with the India Convention Promotion Bureau.