Indian NTO to push exhibition industry

The Government of India Tourist Office (GITO) has said it must re-educate the country's exhibition venues to target potential business from the Asia Pacific

INDIA The Government of India Tourist Office (GITO) has said it must re-educate the country's exhibition venues to target potential business from the Asia Pacific. Officials admitted although the country has staged large conferences in the past, it needed bigger venues and convention centres in the future. The aim is to motivate India's venues to bid for more events and raise the country's profile as an exhibition destination. Support for this would be provided by GITO regional offices in Singapore, Japan and Bangkok. "India is a late starter but the infrastructure investment is coming in," said GITO Asean region assistant director Mr Shoeb Samad. "We have world-class accommodation. India is also affordable. We shall use the PATA 2001 conference to give Asia Pacific a taste of what India is about." Existing venues included the Jaypee Palace Hotel complex in Agra.