Pariksha Saathi14th International Tourism Mart inaugurated in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh; 43 international buyers from 22 countries mark the highest-ever international buyer participation at ITM
The 14th edition of the International Tourism Mart (ITM), organised by the Ministry of Tourism in association with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern States, commenced at Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, on 29 October 2026, the Ministry said. The three-day Mart, being held from 29 to 31 October 2026, aims to showcase the tourism potential of the eight North Eastern States and strengthen business engagement with domestic and international tourism markets. The inaugural session was held in the presence of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture; Suresh Gopi, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum & Natural Gas; Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER); Pema Khandu, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh; and Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Sikkim. Shekhawat said the Mart has brought together 43 international buyers from 22 countries, the highest-ever international buyer participation at ITM, along with 42 domestic buyers from 16 States and Union Territories and 81 sellers, and that domestic tourist visits to the eight North Eastern States increased from 95.65 lakh in 2019 to 1.51 crore in 2025, a growth of approximately 58%. Highlighting tourism infrastructure and connectivity in the region, he said 16 projects worth ₹1,309 crore have been sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan 1.0 and 17 projects worth ₹564 crore under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, besides projects under Challenge Based Destination Development, SASCI and PRASHAD, and that the Ministry has supported ten tourism routes in the North Eastern Region under the Regional Connectivity Scheme-UDAN. The North East Bazaar, showcasing traditional handicrafts, handlooms and other cultural offerings of the region, was inaugurated as part of the programme, and a Regional Meeting of Tourism Ministers of the North Eastern States will be held on 30 October 2026. The 14th edition marks the return of the ITM to Tawang after 13 years, following the second edition held there in 2013.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
On 12 November 2025 the Ministry of Tourism announced that it was organising the 13th edition of the International Tourism Mart for the North Eastern Region from 13 to 16 November 2025 at Gangtok, Sikkim, to be inaugurated by Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in the presence of the Chief Ministers of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry described the ITM as its annual flagship event, designed to showcase the tourism potential of the North Eastern Region - the 'Ashta Lakshmi' of India - to domestic and international audiences, and said the Mart was being organised in alignment with its Travel for Life initiative. Representatives from approximately 19 countries were expected, with 39 international tour operators, 5 international influencers, 50 domestic buyers, 20 domestic influencers and travel media, and 91 domestic sellers, and the Mart was to feature technical sessions, panel discussions, product presentations and B2B meetings.
Check yourself: where and on which dates was the 13th ITM to be held, and what does the Ministry of Tourism call the North Eastern Region?
Gangtok, Sikkim, 13 to 16 November 2025; the 'Ashta Lakshmi' of India.
Revision task: from this release, note the ITM's edition, venue and dates, its organisers, the dignitaries at the inaugural session, the number of international and domestic buyers and sellers, the rise in domestic tourist visits to the North East, the Swadesh Darshan projects, the UDAN routes and the year of the earlier Tawang edition; from the note, the 13th edition's venue and dates, how the Ministry describes the ITM and the expected participation.
Test yourself
Where is the 14th International Tourism Mart (ITM), organised by the Ministry of Tourism from 29 to 31 October 2026, being held?
Show the answer
Answer: Tawang
The 14th edition of the International Tourism Mart, organised by the Ministry of Tourism in association with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern States, commenced at Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, on 29 October 2026 and is being held from 29 to 31 October 2026. It marks the return of the ITM to Tawang after 13 years, following the second edition held there in 2013, and has brought together 43 international buyers from 22 countries, the highest-ever international buyer participation at ITM.
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