The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) is set to host its 40th Annual Convention from August 22nd to 25th, 2025, in the spiritual and cultural heartland of Odisha—Puri, the sacred city of Lord Jagannath. Announcing the details, Mr. Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, shared that the theme of this landmark edition is “Rejuvenate Inbound @2030,” aiming to lay a renewed focus on inbound tourism growth over the next five years.
The convention will be chaired by Mr. Sanjay Razdan, Vice President of IATO, with Mr. Viney Tyagi, Hon’ble Joint Secretary, and Mr. Gagan Sarangi, Chairman of the IATO Odisha Chapter, serving as Co-Chairmen.
The venue for all official events—including registration, the inaugural ceremony, business sessions, and evening programmes—will be the Swosti Premium Beach Resorts, Puri. Invitations have been extended to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha and the Union Minister of Tourism, Government of India, to inaugurate the convention on 22nd August. According to Mr. Gosain, senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, as well as tourism representatives from 17–18 states, are expected to attend the event.
Mr. Sanjay Razdan, Convention Chairman, expressed optimism about the strong response, noting that 900–1000 delegates are anticipated. The participants will include senior government officials, tourism industry leaders, hospitality professionals, and members of the travel trade media. As part of its efforts to promote Odisha’s rich and diverse tourism offerings, eight post-convention tours are being planned. These itineraries will introduce delegates to various lesser-explored destinations across the state, empowering them to market these locales in both domestic and international markets.
Mr. Sunil Mishra added that business sessions will feature critical deliberations on pressing issues impacting the tourism sector, with thought leaders and domain experts sharing valuable insights.
Additionally, the Indian Tourism Fair will be held from 22nd to 24th August 2025 at the convention venue. This platform will facilitate B2B networking among IATO members, state tourism boards, and other tourism stakeholders to collectively boost India’s tourism economy.