India’s travel, tourism and hospitality industry is set for a major networking gathering as the 6th Edition of the World Tourism Day Celebration takes place on September 26, 2026, at Udman Hotels and Resorts, NH8, Delhi. Organised jointly by the Purvanchal Paryatan Association and the Great Indian Travel Fest (GITF), the event is expected to draw more than 1,000 tourism professionals and delegates, including over 100 international and domestic hosted buyers, alongside travel trade leaders, hospitality executives, policymakers and destination experts.

The celebration is supported by a network of media houses, industry publications and association partners, including NB News Network as a media partner, helping extend the event’s reach across the wider tourism and hospitality industry. Positioned as a major B2B tourism networking platform, the 2026 edition aims to connect businesses with buyers, showcase destinations and travel products, and discuss the industry’s future direction — all built around four pillars: Celebrating Culture and Heritage, Connecting People and Places, Collaborating for Sustainable Tourism Growth, and Inspiring a Better World Through Travel. This year’s edition is also being styled as a “Celebration of WTD in Bollywood’s style.”

From a Gathering to an Industry Platform

The World Tourism Day Celebration was founded in 2021 by Mr. Shridhar Jha, with a simple goal: give tourism professionals a space to meet, exchange ideas and grow together. What began as a single gathering has since evolved into a broader platform representing travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, destination management companies, tourism boards and media houses.

Previous editions have featured prominent guests and performers including Shahnawaz Hussain, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Syed Shahnawaz Hussaini, Altamas Fareedi and Vishal Srivastav, reflecting the organisers’ effort to expand the event’s scale while keeping its focus on bringing tourism professionals together.

Business Networking and Hosted Buyers at the Centre

For the 2026 edition, B2B networking remains the core focus. The presence of 100+ hosted buyers is significant for tourism businesses, as it facilitates direct interaction between buyers seeking travel products and suppliers looking to enter new markets. Hotels, resorts, destination management companies, tourism boards and experience providers can use the platform to showcase offerings, discover new products, develop strategic partnerships and engage directly with decision-makers.

Tourism is a relationship-driven industry — strong infrastructure alone isn’t enough to reach new travellers, which is why distribution networks of tour operators, agencies and international buyers matter. By bringing buyers and sellers together, the event creates room for direct conversations on destinations, packages, accommodation and travel products, helping Indian tourism businesses strengthen both domestic ties and international opportunities.

Culture, Connection and Sustainability

Alongside the business agenda, culture and heritage remain central to the celebration. India’s tourism proposition rests heavily on its cultural diversity, festivals, cuisine and local communities, and a strong B2B network can help travel professionals discover lesser-known destinations for future itineraries.

The event’s second pillar, Connecting People and Places, reflects tourism’s role beyond travel itself — linking travel agents with new hotels, tour operators with emerging destinations, and buyers with resorts. Sustainability also features prominently through the pillar Collaborating for Sustainable Tourism Growth, with organisers emphasising public-private synergy and collective trade representation to strengthen India’s tourism corridors on the global stage.

Opportunities for Smaller Tourism Businesses

The gathering could also benefit small and medium tourism businesses — boutique properties, independent travel companies and regional destination operators — that often find it difficult to reach the right travel trade audience. Industry events like this one bridge that gap by connecting emerging businesses directly with established buyers, sometimes turning a single conversation into a long-term partnership or new market opportunity.

Hospitality brands are expected to play a key role too, given their close connection to nearly every part of the tourism value chain — from leisure and business travel to events and experiential holidays. Maintaining relationships with travel agents, tour operators and DMCs remains important for hotels and resorts looking to generate business across markets.

NB News Network Among Media Partners

Media partnerships are expected to extend the celebration’s reach well beyond the event venue. NB News Network is among the media houses and industry publications supporting World Tourism Day 2026, contributing to wider coverage of destinations, business opportunities, tourism innovation and industry trends. The event profile also credits its media partners, association partners, sponsors, exhibitors, delegates, volunteers and hospitality partners for strengthening the platform’s continued growth.

A Human Touch to Business Networking

While B2B meetings form the core of the event, organisers have also built in interactive elements to keep the celebration engaging — including a lucky draw held every 30 minutes, offering participants gifts, complimentary tour packages and hotel stay vouchers. Previous editions have also created space for knowledge-sharing through industry speakers, alongside recognition of contributions to the tourism and hospitality sector.

The event is led by founder Mr. Shridhar Jha, with a core team comprising Rajesh Dhankar, Pranav Bansal, Goldy Rathi and Dilip Rajput, supported over the years by sponsors, exhibitors, association partners, media partners, delegates, volunteers and hospitality partners.

With more than 1,000 delegates and over 100 hosted buyers expected, September 26 could become an important date on the tourism industry’s networking calendar. As India looks to strengthen its position on the global tourism map, the connections formed at events like this could prove increasingly valuable — extending the platform’s core philosophy that tourism grows stronger when its stakeholders work together.

For media and industry enquiries: Phone: 9810528704 | Email: info@worldtourismday.in | Website: worldtourismday.in