Press Release | July 10, 2026
In a first for India’s exhibitions industry, the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) has launched an independent Economic Impact Report, developed in partnership with EY, quantifying the exhibition’s contribution to the economy and highlighting its broader influence on India’s travel and tourism ecosystem.
The report, unveiled at a special event at Le Méridien, New Delhi, marks the first time in SATTE’s 33-year history that its economic footprint has been independently assessed. The study estimates that SATTE 2026 generated a direct economic impact of ₹193 crore, positioning the travel trade exhibition as a benchmark for measuring the value created by business events.
The report was formally launched by Suman Billa, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in the presence of senior government officials, tourism leaders, industry associations and representatives from EY and Informa Markets in India.
Beyond measuring direct economic contribution, the study introduces the concept of the ‘SATTE Multiplier Effect’, capturing the cascading value generated when business meetings held during the exhibition translate into travel bookings, tour packages, hotel stays, aviation demand, transportation, visitor spending and employment throughout the year. According to the report, the commercial relationships forged during the three-day exhibition continue to create economic activity long after the event concludes.
The findings reveal that SATTE 2026 generated more than 45,000 man-days of employment, over 50,000 hotel room nights, and facilitated 25,000-plus flight bookings. The exhibition attracted more than 45,000 footfalls, including over 26,000 unique visitors, hosted 1,500-plus exhibitors, and welcomed delegations from over 60 countries across 37,000 sq. m. of exhibition space. The report also notes that 92% of exhibitors intend to return for SATTE 2027, while 89% generated business leads during the event.
In his foreword to the report, Union Minister of Tourism & Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat described exhibitions as engines of economic growth that stimulate trade, entrepreneurship and investment. He also highlighted the Ministry’s ‘Meet in India’ initiative and continued infrastructure development aimed at strengthening India’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) ecosystem.
Speaking at the launch, Suman Billa IAS, Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said, “I am especially delighted to be part of the launch of the exhibitions industry’s first impact assessment report. What reports like these do is convert intuition into evidence. When we attend events, our understanding of their impact is often anecdotal. Studies like these bring in data, rigour and measurable outcomes. Today, exhibitions are not merely industry gatherings; they are engines and accelerators of economic growth, as well as platforms for market intelligence. I extend my strong support to events such as SATTE, as they democratise access to the tourism business, enabling even the smallest players to connect with international partners and collaborators. We need events like SATTE to continue growing from strength to strength.”
Commenting on the milestone, 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.”
Presenting the report, Bhavesh Laddha, Director, EY Consulting Inc. said, “We are extremely proud to present SATTE’s Economic Impact Report. Our analysis shows that SATTE 2026 served as a significant catalyst for economic activity, generating an estimated economic impact of INR 193 crore. The exhibition contributed to over 45,000 man-days of employment, generated more than 50,000 hotel room nights and facilitated over 25,000 flight bookings. 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.”
The report also outlines priorities for SATTE 2027, including greater focus on high-value buyer-seller engagement, stronger participation from Tier-II and Tier-III markets, enhanced traveller confidence initiatives, and more flexible booking and pricing models to respond to changing travel trends.
The launch comes at a time when India’s exhibitions industry is witnessing strong momentum, with organised exhibitions recording nearly 40% post-pandemic growth and more than 1,000 organised exhibitions being hosted annually. By independently measuring its economic contribution, SATTE has taken a significant step towards providing policymakers, investors and industry stakeholders with data-driven insights into the role exhibitions play in driving tourism, trade and economic development.
