Alcobrew Distilleries India Limited honoured with the Iconic Excellence in Building an Indian Brand award, recognising its contribution to India's evolving spirits industry. 

Rishabh Bhatia, Category Manager – Luxury Spirits and Mukkaish Pruthii, National Sales Head, represented the company at the #WIONIconicAwards

Iconic Excellence in Building an Indian Brand

The Summit sessions
Borders without barriers: The diplomacy of visas and mobility
This session focuses on one of the most powerful enablers of global travel and tourism: seamless cross-border mobility. It will explore how countries are enhancing travel access for Indian travellers through initiatives such as e-visas, visa-free arrangements, accelerated processing, and digital travel credentials. The discussion will also examine how greater ease of movement can strengthen tourism, foster deeper business and trade engagement, expand educational opportunities, and reinforce people-to-people connections between India and the world.

Soft power on the move: Tourism, culture and bilateral ties
Tourism is arguably the most durable form of diplomatic relations. This session discusses how nations use cultural exchange, film, cuisine and travel promotion to deepen bilateral relationships, and how Indian outbound tourism has become a soft-power constituency, not just a commercial opportunity.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How Travel is reshaping India's ties with the world

At the WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Hanuman Ansh director Dr. Vishal Chaturvedi reflected on the film's unexpected blockbuster journey and its massive role in driving spiritual tourism. Explaining his insistence on securing a 'U' (Universal) certificate, Chaturvedi revealed he envisioned the film about Neem Karoli Baba primarily for children to connect the younger generation with Indian culture and spiritual heritage.   


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: 'Hanuman Ansh' Director on blockbuster success

Speaking at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit, experts highlighted the imperative for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in tourism to upskill as Artificial Intelligence reshapes global travel. While AI automates itinerary creation, dynamic pricing, and multilingual customer support, local operators must build digital literacy while banking heavily on hyper-local authenticity, cultural storytelling, and unscripted human warmth—their irreplaceable edge over automated tech.   


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How local tourism MSMEs must upskill for AI integration

Tourism is moving beyond conventional sightseeing, with travellers increasingly seeking meaningful and personalised experiences. At WION’s Iconic Tourism Summit, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat explained why AI may transform travel planning but cannot replace the human touch.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026: Union Minister Shekhawat on 'experiential travel', peace diplomacy

Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to India, highlighted the deep cultural synergy between Slovakia and India by opening up about his love for Bollywood songs. Fluent in Hindi after studying in India in 1991, the envoy famously sang lines from classic tracks like "Dekha hai pehli baar" while exploring Old Delhi and described India as his "second home" (Bharat mere liye dusra ghar hai), demonstrating how music and cultural exchange continue to strengthen people-to-people diplomatic ties.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Slovak Envoy Sings Popular Hindi Tracks To Showcase Bilateral Ties

The business of travel: Aviation, hospitality and India's tourism infrastructure story
This session covers airline capacity, airport expansion, hospitality investment and the infrastructure race to serve India's growing outbound and inbound travel demand. The focus is on whether supply is arriving fast enough to meet the demand.

Travel Tech frontiers
This discussion will take a broader look at how technology is transforming travel, from use of AI in trip planning and biometric airport experiences to digital visas, smart border control and fraud-resistant travel documentation.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Is India's travel boom outrunning its airports, airlines and hotels?

Iconic Awards 2026: An evening of excellence
The Iconic Awards 2026, the closing event of the summit, will recognise achievement across travel, hospitality and luxury.

The Iconic Tourism Summit & Awards 2026will see a large presence of diplomats from close to 20 countries.

It’s going to be a wholesome experience where India's top voices in travel, tourism and hospitality explore the journeys, experiences and ideas defining the destinations of tomorrow: a single stack of discussions, debate, appreciation and fireside conversations.

WION Iconic Awards 2026: Honors excellence in travel, hospitality & luxury

Iconic Awards 2026: An evening of excellence
The Iconic Awards 2026, the closing event of the summit, will recognise achievement across travel, hospitality and luxury.

The Iconic Tourism Summit & Awards 2026will see a large presence of diplomats from close to 20 countries.

Here are the winners of the Iconic awards.

Iconic - Lifetime Achievement - Kapil Bhatia.

Iconic Excellence in Dance & Performing Arts - Dr. Anita R Ratnam

Iconic Excellence in International Aviation - Amr Aly

Iconic Excellence in Sustainable Jewellery Design - Poonam Soni

Iconic Excellence in Community-Led Hospitality - Ajay Wadhawan

Iconic Excellence in Heritage & Cultural Tourism - Rajkumari Ratna Singh of Kalakankar

Iconic Excellence in Special Olympics & Sports Inclusion - Gunocean Singh Bedi

Iconic Excellence in Wellness & Ayurvedic Tourism - Gita Ramesh

Iconic Excellence in Hospitality Education - Dr. Suborno Bose

Iconic Excellence in Travel Management - J B Singh

Iconic Excellence in Building an Indian Brand - Rishabh Bhatia, Category Manager - Luxury Spirits/ Alcobrew Distilleries India ltd, Mukkaish Pruthii National Sales Head/AlcoBrew Distilleries India ltd

Iconic CSR Leadership for Empowering the Trucking Community - Shriram Finance Limited / S. Balamurugan, Director Sales & Head, CSR, Shriram Finance Limited

Excellence in Indian Classical Music - Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash, Zohaan Ali Bangash, Abeer Ali Bangash

Iconic Excellence in Literature - Ashutosh Agnihotri

Iconic Excellence in Tourism & Enterprise - Arjun Sharma

Iconic Excellence in Medical Science & Cardiology - Padma Bhushan Dr. T. S. Kler

Iconic Excellence in Culinary Arts & Gastronomy - Dr. Chef Manjit Singh Gill

Iconic Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy & International Relations - H.E. Ms. Aliki Koutsomitopoulou

Iconic Excellence in Social Impact & Inclusivity - H.H. Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil

Iconic Excellence in Aviation Entrepreneurship - Kanika Tekriwal

Iconic Excellence in Royal Heritage & Bespoke Design - Raghavendra Rathore

Iconic Excellence in Inclusive Skilling & Empowerment - Dr. Jyotsna Suri

Iconic Excellence in Hospitality - Priya PaulIconic

WION Iconic Awards 2026: Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash honoured  

At WION Iconic Awards, Zee Media CEO Raktim Das unveils WION’s next chapter beyond the newsroom: WION Global Conversations, a series of global events to bring together policymakers, business leaders, innovators and thought leaders for dialogue, ideas and action.

He also introduces WION Luxe, which will explore the people, places, experiences and ideas shaping contemporary luxury.

Zee Media CEO announces WION World Conferences, WION Luxe as global channel completes 10 years

Arjan Bajwa has spent years in front of the camera, but ask what keeps him grounded and the answer is up in the sky. In this conversation, the actor opens up about his passion for flying and how it keeps him steady in the film industry.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026: Actor Arjan Bajwa in conversation with WION

It was truly a special moment at WION Iconic Awards 2026 as veteran Sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his family were honoured with the Excellence in Indian Classical Music award. The legendary musician's sons, well-known sarod players Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, accepted the award along with Ayaan's sons Zohaan Ali Bangash and Abeer Ali Bangash. Ayaan's wife, Neema Bangash too was present at the special occasion.&nbsp;Thanking WION for the award, Ayaan said, "The life of an artist is the fact that you're a student of the last year of this planet. You're just achieving excellence or trying to achieve excellence every day. And you have to keep doing that and start over. So it's a very long journey and it's a journey that requires blessings. It requires benevolence of heaven. So we are so honoured to be here. And especially it's a big moment for Zohan and Abeer. Thank you for the encouragement you are giving them at this age. They have to keep practising and working hard. But it's really a very big moment for them and for the family."&nbsp;Adding to his brother's speech, Amaan said, “Once I asked my father, I said, there's so much of music around us, so many great musicians at our age performing. So what's your mantra? He said, ”Somebody who plays as good as you is not your competitor. But somebody who is more humble than you will defeat you one day. So it's all about being humble. It's all about giving your hard work. And don't take yourself seriously. Just keep going and just keep working hard. Extremely important, I think, for all of us to have this lesson: be humble in today's day and age."&nbsp;All of 13, the twins Zohan and Abeer, accepted the award with humility and said they felt honoured to receive this award.&nbsp;Ustad Amjad Ali Khan shared a video note, thanking WION for the honour and added. "To see my sons, Amaan and Ayaan, and now my grandsons, Zohan and Abeer, carry forward the musical legacy of our gharana, connecting generations through music is perhaps my greatest joy and blessings."&nbsp;

‘Be humble and keep working hard,’ said Amaan Ali Bangash as he and his brother Ayaan Ali Bangash, along with his nephews Zohan and Abeer, accepted the Excellence in Indian Classical Music Award at the WION Iconic Awards 2026.

It was truly a special moment at WION Iconic Awards 2026 as veteran Sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his family were honoured with the Excellence in Indian Classical Music award. The legendary musician's sons, well-known sarod players Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, accepted the award along with Ayaan's sons Zohaan Ali Bangash and Abeer Ali Bangash. Ayaan's wife, Neema Bangash too was present at the special occasion. Thanking WION for the award, Ayaan said, "The life of an artist is the fact that you're a student of the last year of this planet. You're just achieving excellence or trying to achieve excellence every day. And you have to keep doing that and start over. So it's a very long journey and it's a journey that requires blessings. It requires benevolence of heaven. So we are so honoured to be here. And especially it's a big moment for Zohan and Abeer. Thank you for the encouragement you are giving them at this age. They have to keep practising and working hard. But it's really a very big moment for them and for the family." Adding to his brother's speech, Amaan said, “Once I asked my father, I said, there's so much of music around us, so many great musicians at our age performing. So what's your mantra? He said, ”Somebody who plays as good as you is not your competitor. But somebody who is more humble than you will defeat you one day. So it's all about being humble. It's all about giving your hard work. And don't take yourself seriously. Just keep going and just keep working hard. Extremely important, I think, for all of us to have this lesson: be humble in today's day and age." All of 13, the twins Zohan and Abeer, accepted the award with humility and said they felt honoured to receive this award. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan shared a video note, thanking WION for the honour and added. "To see my sons, Amaan and Ayaan, and now my grandsons, Zohan and Abeer, carry forward the musical legacy of our gharana, connecting generations through music is perhaps my greatest joy and blessings."

‘Be humble and keep working hard,’ said Amaan Ali Bangash as he and his brother Ayaan Ali Bangash, along with his nephews Zohan and Abeer, accepted the Excellence in Indian Classical Music Award at the WION Iconic Awards 2026.

WION Iconic Awards 2026: Ustad Amjad Ali Khan & family honoured; sons Amaan and Ayaan and grandsons accept special honour

This discussion will take a broader look at how technology is transforming travel, from use of AI in trip planning and biometric airport experiences to digital visas, smart border control and fraud-resistant travel documentation.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: VFS Global processes 30 million visa applications annually with AI

Opening the 9th edition of the WION Iconic Awards, Zee Media Corporation Limited CEO Raktim Das formally welcomed international diplomats, industry leaders, and policy experts. The summit marked a historic milestone celebrating WION's 10 years as India's first global news network, highlighting its decade-long journey of bringing world perspectives to India and projecting India's voice to global audiences.


Zee Media CEO Raktim Das announces new global platforms as WION marks 10 years

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Slovak envoy sings popular Hindi tracks to showcase bilateral ties

Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat speaks at WION's Iconic Tourism Summit

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How tech frontiers are transforming AI planning and biometric clearance

This session covers airline capacity, airport expansion, hospitality investment and the infrastructure race to serve India's growing outbound and inbound travel demand. The focus is on whether supply is arriving fast enough to meet the demand.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit | The business of travel: Aviation, hospitality & India's tourism infra 

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Tech frontiers reshaping travel industry for smoother journeys

As travel demand rises during the peak season, visa applications can bring added pressure on processing centres worldwide. In this conversation, Vinay Malhotra, Head, Strategic Global Partnerships, VFS Global shares how VFS is preparing for the seasonal surge and managing higher application volumes. From operational planning and technology to applicant support, the focus is on making the visa application process smoother and more efficient.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: How VFS Global is tackling the peak-season Visa rush 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised travel and journeys across the globe, making bookings and visa services a unique and easy experience for customers. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Strategic Global Partnerships, VFS Global, highlighted how the deployment of AI has made the process of travel much easier.<h2>AI makes visa processing easier</h2>Speaking at the panel discussion on ‘Tech Frontiers Reshaping the Journey’ at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit &amp; Awards 2026 in New Delhi on Wednesday (Sep 23), Malhotra talked about how AI has made the visa process and other travel-related processes for customers much easier. He also explained that while some people use technology to tamper with passports and other documents, technology deployed by VFS Global can detect any mismatch. He also said that synthetic documents and deepfakes can easily be caught by technology.“We recently created a system called IDP, or intelligent document processing. What this system can do is, if you submit your passport application and you’ve tampered with the passport, the system can detect that something is wrong with the passport. If your flights and hotel details do not match, or there is a mismatch with an application, it will bring that out,” he said. “When we receive a bank statement about 100-15 pages, and the applicant feels, ‘oh nothing can go wrong, and if there is a little mismatch or a tallying error, nobody will find out’. But AI helps us find that out too.”<h2>Why human intervention still matters</h2>Anil Parashar, Executive Director at ITQ Technologies Pvt Ltd, shared why human intervention is necessary while deploying technology.“What technology does is make a travel partner look what they are. What I mean is that it makes them look good with technology, and it makes you look worse with technology. And the question we are all being driven by is: what can technology do? The question we need to be asking is: what technology cannot do? Because what technology cannot do will be done by humans. That strength of humans is only available to humans,” he said.“The role of humans, the role of travel partners, is more relevant today with technology, not less. It is only how we use and we focus on the customer and let the technology do the simple tasks,” Parashar added. “Good technology removes questions and steps in a process. Bad technology adds one more form.”<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-iconic-tourism-summit-tech-frontiers-reshaping-travel-industry-for-smoother-journeys-1790169626866/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-iconic-tourism-summit-tech-frontiers-reshaping-travel-industry-for-smoother-journeys-1790169626866/embed</a><h2>Technology should not create more hurdles</h2>He added that while web check-ins and eGates have made things easier for customers, we need to be cautious about how technology is being brought in.“If you try to bring technology for the sake of technology, you’re going to be in trouble... Technology will work when the other infrastructure is there. You need to have WiFi, a battery in the phone, Bluetooth, and connectivity in remote destinations. We need to be conscious and aware of all of that,” Parashar said. “We are having a big challenge today. In a contactless process, some things are great, no question. But things which are adding to confusion and duplication are a challenge.”“All I’m saying is that technology is great when you take away some steps, but if, in the process of technology, you end up making life difficult for the customer, it is no good,” he said.<h2>AI could connect the entire travel ecosystem</h2>Achin Sharma, Chief Digital Officer, WAISL (GMR Cargo), said, “The biggest difference AI can make is in reducing the friction in the entire journey. In my view, these have been examples of leveraging AI in a rather standalone mode. But AI can actually be leveraged to integrate the entire travel ecosystem.”He further added, “Right now, if you look at the traveller, he visits one site to book his air tickets, generally speaking, and then another website for the hotels, local transport, and so on and so forth. That’s largely the pain that he goes through prior to booking his travel... AI, in my view, can actually integrate this entire value chain in terms of even predicting something might go wrong.”<h2>AI as a support tool for customer service</h2>Abhilash Kalathil Ramesh, Executive Director, Kairali Ayurvedic Group, also talked about how his company has deployed AI. He shared that while his firm prefers customer interactions through human agents, the technology is beneficial for taking customer queries when a human executive is not available at the moment. In this case, AI can step in and inform the customer that a human executive will be available to speak with them soon.The WION Iconic Tourism Summit &amp; Awards 2026, presented by VFS Global in association with Red Hat Communications, brings together voices from government, diplomacy, aviation, hospitality and technology to examine the forces reshaping global travel, including mobility, tourism infrastructure, technology and changing traveller expectations.

AI is transforming travel by streamlining visa checks, bookings and customer service. Experts at WION Tourism Summit 2026 discussed AI’s potential while stressing the need for human intervention. now.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised travel and journeys across the globe, making bookings and visa services a unique and easy experience for customers. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Strategic Global Partnerships, VFS Global, highlighted how the deployment of AI has made the process of travel much easier. AI makes visa processing easier Speaking at the panel discussion on ‘Tech Frontiers Reshaping the Journey’ at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit & Awards 2026 in New Delhi on Wednesday (Sep 23), Malhotra talked about how AI has made the visa process and other travel-related processes for customers much easier. He also explained that while some people use technology to tamper with passports and other documents, technology deployed by VFS Global can detect any mismatch. He also said that synthetic documents and deepfakes can easily be caught by technology. “We recently created a system called IDP, or intelligent document processing. What this system can do is, if you submit your passport application and you’ve tampered with the passport, the system can detect that something is wrong with the passport. If your flights and hotel details do not match, or there is a mismatch with an application, it will bring that out,” he said. “When we receive a bank statement about 100-15 pages, and the applicant feels, ‘oh nothing can go wrong, and if there is a little mismatch or a tallying error, nobody will find out’. But AI helps us find that out too.” Why human intervention still matters Anil Parashar, Executive Director at ITQ Technologies Pvt Ltd, shared why human intervention is necessary while deploying technology. “What technology does is make a travel partner look what they are. What I mean is that it makes them look good with technology, and it makes you look worse with technology. And the question we are all being driven by is: what can technology do? The question we need to be asking is: what technology cannot do? Because what technology cannot do will be done by humans. That strength of humans is only available to humans,” he said. “The role of humans, the role of travel partners, is more relevant today with technology, not less. It is only how we use and we focus on the customer and let the technology do the simple tasks,” Parashar added. “Good technology removes questions and steps in a process. Bad technology adds one more form.” https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-iconic-tourism-summit-tech-frontiers-reshaping-travel-industry-for-smoother-journeys-1790169626866/embed Technology should not create more hurdles He added that while web check-ins and eGates have made things easier for customers, we need to be cautious about how technology is being brought in. “If you try to bring technology for the sake of technology, you’re going to be in trouble... Technology will work when the other infrastructure is there. You need to have WiFi, a battery in the phone, Bluetooth, and connectivity in remote destinations. We need to be conscious and aware of all of that,” Parashar said. “We are having a big challenge today. In a contactless process, some things are great, no question. But things which are adding to confusion and duplication are a challenge.” “All I’m saying is that technology is great when you take away some steps, but if, in the process of technology, you end up making life difficult for the customer, it is no good,” he said. AI could connect the entire travel ecosystem Achin Sharma, Chief Digital Officer, WAISL (GMR Cargo), said, “The biggest difference AI can make is in reducing the friction in the entire journey. In my view, these have been examples of leveraging AI in a rather standalone mode. But AI can actually be leveraged to integrate the entire travel ecosystem.” He further added, “Right now, if you look at the traveller, he visits one site to book his air tickets, generally speaking, and then another website for the hotels, local transport, and so on and so forth. That’s largely the pain that he goes through prior to booking his travel... AI, in my view, can actually integrate this entire value chain in terms of even predicting something might go wrong.” AI as a support tool for customer service Abhilash Kalathil Ramesh, Executive Director, Kairali Ayurvedic Group, also talked about how his company has deployed AI. He shared that while his firm prefers customer interactions through human agents, the technology is beneficial for taking customer queries when a human executive is not available at the moment. In this case, AI can step in and inform the customer that a human executive will be available to speak with them soon. The WION Iconic Tourism Summit & Awards 2026, presented by VFS Global in association with Red Hat Communications, brings together voices from government, diplomacy, aviation, hospitality and technology to examine the forces reshaping global travel, including mobility, tourism infrastructure, technology and changing traveller expectations.

AI is transforming travel by streamlining visa checks, bookings and customer service. Experts at WION Tourism Summit 2026 discussed AI’s potential while stressing the need for human intervention. now.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit & Awards 2026: How AI is reshaping visas, bookings and travel, experts share insights

WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026: Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat speaks on future of tourism

Speaking at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit, experts highlighted the imperative for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in tourism to upskill as Artificial Intelligence reshapes global travel. While AI automates itinerary creation, dynamic pricing, and multilingual customer support, local operators must build digital literacy while banking heavily on hyper-local authenticity, cultural storytelling, and unscripted human warmth—their irreplaceable edge over automated tech.   

Tourism is arguably the most durable form of diplomatic relations. This session discusses how nations use cultural exchange, film, cuisine and travel promotion to deepen bilateral relationships, and how Indian outbound tourism has become a soft-power constituency, not just a commercial opportunity.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit | Soft power on the move: Tourism, culture and bilateral ties

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Hanuman Ansh director on blockbuster success

Notable personalities from India’s tourism and hospitality sector, along with senior policymakers, diplomats and industry leaders, came together in New Delhi on September 23 for the WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026, presented by VFS Global in association with Red Hat Communications.&nbsp;The summit brought together key voices from across the tourism ecosystem to discuss the sector’s future, emerging opportunities, evolving travel trends and challenges that could shape its growth.&nbsp;Panel 3 of the summit, titled ‘The business of travel: Aviation, hospitality &amp; India's tourism infra story’, featured Vikram Lalvani, MD &amp; CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts;&nbsp;&nbsp;Saurabh Tiwari, Vice President, Middle East, Maldives &amp; Sri Lanka, IHCL (Taj Dubai)&nbsp;Manish Puri, Head of Global Sales, Air India Limited &amp; Air India Express&nbsp;Ahmed Hamed Sharbak, Regional Manager (APAC), Visit Qatar&nbsp;Kamal Munasinghe, Sr. Vice President, Colombo Hotels &amp; General Manager, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Sri Lanka&nbsp;Muktesh Pardeshi, Former Secretary and Former Ambassador to Türkiye &amp; New Zealand.<h2>India's tourism growth and changing travel patterns&nbsp;</h2>On whether hotel infrastructure is ready for more Indians travelling abroad,&nbsp;Saurabh Tiwari of IHCL (Taj Dubai)&nbsp;said global hotel chains have little choice but to prepare for the growing number of Indian travellers and their rising disposable incomes.&nbsp;“Global hotels do not have a choice, as Indians are travelling more and more and have disposable income to spend. So we better get ready for the challenge,” Tiwari said.&nbsp;He said Indian travellers are increasingly looking for better experiences as their spending capacity grows.&nbsp;“Indians are looking for great experiences with expanding spending capacity as the country itself is becoming better and better in terms of providing everything. So when Indian tourists go abroad, they expect an even better experience,” Tiwari said.&nbsp;Vikram Lalvani, MD &amp; CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts, spoke about changing travel patterns as Gen Z and Gen Alpha increasingly participate in tourism.&nbsp;“The way the industry is moving is destination-led. In the future generation also, the question remains the same: why do I have to travel to a particular destination? Is the destination worth it? Is it safe enough?” Lalvani said.&nbsp;He said the way different destinations are connected would become increasingly important, with travellers looking for hybrid experiences.&nbsp;“Going forward is how we connect different destinations is important: hybrid experience. Like connecting a heritage town to hill stations like Mount Abu to Udaipur,” Lalvani said.&nbsp;Lalvani also stressed that domestic tourism remains a major driver of India's tourism sector.&nbsp;“If we say tourism is thriving, it is domestic tourism. We should not only focus on international tourism; the industry is thriving because of domestic tourism. After Covid, the first thing that rebounded was domestic tourism,” he said.&nbsp;He also called for India to promote itself as a year-round tourism destination instead of focusing mainly on the months when international tourists traditionally visit.&nbsp;“Our narrative about India can be 360-day tourism should go out to the world beyond November and January, which is known for international tourists,” Lalvani said.<h2>India eyes global aviation hub status as infrastructure expands</h2>Manish Puri, Head of Global Sales, Air India, said India has made significant progress in aviation infrastructure over the past decade as the country seeks to strengthen its position as a global aviation hub.&nbsp;“India is always a chicken-and-egg story. Is the demand come first, or does infra come first? But in the last 10 years, the situation has become better in terms of infra with a new airport at Jewar, in Navi Mumbai and others,” Puri said.&nbsp;He said the large number of aircraft orders placed by Indian carriers for the coming decade would further support the country's aviation growth.&nbsp;“With the number of orders Indian carriers placed in the next 10 years, we are ready to take the world by storm,” Puri said.&nbsp;However, Puri said India needs to improve transit facilities at its airport terminals to compete with major global aviation hubs and airlines.&nbsp;“The transit facility at the terminal is required to get better to compete with the global giants like Etihad, Qatar Airways,” he said.&nbsp;Puri also reflected on the transformation of Air India following its privatisation.&nbsp;“When AI was privatised, people were expecting a magic wand that would wash away every problem with the airline. However, in the last five years we have been able to change. We raised the consumer experience through NPS,” Puri said.&nbsp;<h2>Tourism diplomacy and soft power&nbsp;</h2>Former Indian envoy Muktesh Pardeshi, Former Secretary and Former Ambassador to Türkiye &amp; New Zealand, highlighted the role of tourism diplomacy in strengthening India's economic and international engagement.&nbsp;“Tourism diplomacy is an important part of economic diplomacy. We have a mantra of 3 Ts, that is trade, tourism and technology,” Pardeshi said.&nbsp;He said tourism also contributes to a country's soft power and that a larger number of international tourists could strengthen India's global presence.&nbsp;“Tourism also helps in soft power projection of the country. If we had more tourists as per current level it will significantly enhance soft power,” Pardeshi said.&nbsp;Pardeshi compared India's foreign tourist arrivals with Türkiye, saying Türkiye attracts 65 million tourists while India has remained at around 20 million foreign tourists, including around 10 million NRIs.&nbsp;“To change that, government, industry and civil society need to step up its efforts as India has everything from landscape to heritage,” he said.&nbsp;Reflecting on his experience during India's G20 presidency, Pardeshi said India needs to invest in tourism promotion as well as the creation of social infrastructure.&nbsp;He also stressed the need to improve cleanliness and skills in the tourism sector.&nbsp;“Unless we work on neatness and cleanliness and we fix our issues, India can't realise tourism potential,” Pardeshi said.&nbsp;He also highlighted the lack of skill training among people working in the tourism sector, citing his experience of organising such training during the G20 summit in India.<h2>Qatar, Sri Lanka seek deeper tourism ties with India</h2>Ahmed Hamed Sharbak, Regional Manager (APAC), Visit Qatar, highlighted the long-standing relationship between India and Qatar and called for greater tourism collaboration between the two countries.&nbsp;“We have a long history between India and Qatar. We want collaboration between both countries,” Sharbak said.&nbsp;He said Qatar is looking to attract more family and leisure travellers while also building on its strengths in business and sports tourism.&nbsp;“We are big on tourism with sports, including the soccer World Cup and upcoming Formula 1. We are pushing even for stopover tourists who are only for 24 hours, 48 hours even while transiting to Europe,” he said.&nbsp;Sharbak also highlighted the growing importance of social media in shaping travel experiences.&nbsp;“You gonna spend money when you are going on holiday and document the experience on social media and we provide all of that,” he said.&nbsp;He added that Qatar has visa-on-arrival access for visitors from 100 destinations.&nbsp;Kamal Munasinghe, Sr. Vice President, Colombo Hotels &amp; General Manager, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Sri Lanka, stressed that the tourism relationship between India and Sri Lanka should work both ways and go beyond air connectivity.&nbsp;“For the tourism corridor between both countries, it’s not just about a one-way street. It is a two-way street. We are pushing more connectivity beyond air connectivity, like the recently inaugurated ferry connectivity in 2024,” Munasinghe said.&nbsp;He said Sri Lanka wants more Indians to visit the country, while also encouraging more Sri Lankans to travel to India.&nbsp;“As much as we want Indians to visit Sri Lanka, we also want Sri Lankans to travel to India. For the airlines to survive, there are so many activities for Sri Lankans to come to India,” he said.&nbsp;Munasinghe also called for greater professional exchange between the two countries' tourism sectors.“It’s best if we can provide exposure to Sri Lankans to work in India and vice versa,” he said.

Industry leaders at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026 discussed India’s growing travel demand, aviation infrastructure, hospitality sector, tourism diplomacy and the need for stronger domestic and international tourism connectivity.

Notable personalities from India’s tourism and hospitality sector, along with senior policymakers, diplomats and industry leaders, came together in New Delhi on September 23 for the WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026, presented by VFS Global in association with Red Hat Communications. The summit brought together key voices from across the tourism ecosystem to discuss the sector’s future, emerging opportunities, evolving travel trends and challenges that could shape its growth. Panel 3 of the summit, titled ‘The business of travel: Aviation, hospitality & India's tourism infra story’, featured Vikram Lalvani, MD & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts; Saurabh Tiwari, Vice President, Middle East, Maldives & Sri Lanka, IHCL (Taj Dubai) Manish Puri, Head of Global Sales, Air India Limited & Air India Express Ahmed Hamed Sharbak, Regional Manager (APAC), Visit Qatar Kamal Munasinghe, Sr. Vice President, Colombo Hotels & General Manager, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Sri Lanka Muktesh Pardeshi, Former Secretary and Former Ambassador to Türkiye & New Zealand. India's tourism growth and changing travel patterns On whether hotel infrastructure is ready for more Indians travelling abroad, Saurabh Tiwari of IHCL (Taj Dubai) said global hotel chains have little choice but to prepare for the growing number of Indian travellers and their rising disposable incomes. “Global hotels do not have a choice, as Indians are travelling more and more and have disposable income to spend. So we better get ready for the challenge,” Tiwari said. He said Indian travellers are increasingly looking for better experiences as their spending capacity grows. “Indians are looking for great experiences with expanding spending capacity as the country itself is becoming better and better in terms of providing everything. So when Indian tourists go abroad, they expect an even better experience,” Tiwari said. Vikram Lalvani, MD & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts, spoke about changing travel patterns as Gen Z and Gen Alpha increasingly participate in tourism. “The way the industry is moving is destination-led. In the future generation also, the question remains the same: why do I have to travel to a particular destination? Is the destination worth it? Is it safe enough?” Lalvani said. He said the way different destinations are connected would become increasingly important, with travellers looking for hybrid experiences. “Going forward is how we connect different destinations is important: hybrid experience. Like connecting a heritage town to hill stations like Mount Abu to Udaipur,” Lalvani said. Lalvani also stressed that domestic tourism remains a major driver of India's tourism sector. “If we say tourism is thriving, it is domestic tourism. We should not only focus on international tourism; the industry is thriving because of domestic tourism. After Covid, the first thing that rebounded was domestic tourism,” he said. He also called for India to promote itself as a year-round tourism destination instead of focusing mainly on the months when international tourists traditionally visit. “Our narrative about India can be 360-day tourism should go out to the world beyond November and January, which is known for international tourists,” Lalvani said. India eyes global aviation hub status as infrastructure expands Manish Puri, Head of Global Sales, Air India, said India has made significant progress in aviation infrastructure over the past decade as the country seeks to strengthen its position as a global aviation hub. “India is always a chicken-and-egg story. Is the demand come first, or does infra come first? But in the last 10 years, the situation has become better in terms of infra with a new airport at Jewar, in Navi Mumbai and others,” Puri said. He said the large number of aircraft orders placed by Indian carriers for the coming decade would further support the country's aviation growth. “With the number of orders Indian carriers placed in the next 10 years, we are ready to take the world by storm,” Puri said. However, Puri said India needs to improve transit facilities at its airport terminals to compete with major global aviation hubs and airlines. “The transit facility at the terminal is required to get better to compete with the global giants like Etihad, Qatar Airways,” he said. Puri also reflected on the transformation of Air India following its privatisation. “When AI was privatised, people were expecting a magic wand that would wash away every problem with the airline. However, in the last five years we have been able to change. We raised the consumer experience through NPS,” Puri said. Tourism diplomacy and soft power Former Indian envoy Muktesh Pardeshi, Former Secretary and Former Ambassador to Türkiye & New Zealand, highlighted the role of tourism diplomacy in strengthening India's economic and international engagement. “Tourism diplomacy is an important part of economic diplomacy. We have a mantra of 3 Ts, that is trade, tourism and technology,” Pardeshi said. He said tourism also contributes to a country's soft power and that a larger number of international tourists could strengthen India's global presence. “Tourism also helps in soft power projection of the country. If we had more tourists as per current level it will significantly enhance soft power,” Pardeshi said. Pardeshi compared India's foreign tourist arrivals with Türkiye, saying Türkiye attracts 65 million tourists while India has remained at around 20 million foreign tourists, including around 10 million NRIs. “To change that, government, industry and civil society need to step up its efforts as India has everything from landscape to heritage,” he said. Reflecting on his experience during India's G20 presidency, Pardeshi said India needs to invest in tourism promotion as well as the creation of social infrastructure. He also stressed the need to improve cleanliness and skills in the tourism sector. “Unless we work on neatness and cleanliness and we fix our issues, India can't realise tourism potential,” Pardeshi said. He also highlighted the lack of skill training among people working in the tourism sector, citing his experience of organising such training during the G20 summit in India. Qatar, Sri Lanka seek deeper tourism ties with India Ahmed Hamed Sharbak, Regional Manager (APAC), Visit Qatar, highlighted the long-standing relationship between India and Qatar and called for greater tourism collaboration between the two countries. “We have a long history between India and Qatar. We want collaboration between both countries,” Sharbak said. He said Qatar is looking to attract more family and leisure travellers while also building on its strengths in business and sports tourism. “We are big on tourism with sports, including the soccer World Cup and upcoming Formula 1. We are pushing even for stopover tourists who are only for 24 hours, 48 hours even while transiting to Europe,” he said. Sharbak also highlighted the growing importance of social media in shaping travel experiences. “You gonna spend money when you are going on holiday and document the experience on social media and we provide all of that,” he said. He added that Qatar has visa-on-arrival access for visitors from 100 destinations. Kamal Munasinghe, Sr. Vice President, Colombo Hotels & General Manager, Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Sri Lanka, stressed that the tourism relationship between India and Sri Lanka should work both ways and go beyond air connectivity. “For the tourism corridor between both countries, it’s not just about a one-way street. It is a two-way street. We are pushing more connectivity beyond air connectivity, like the recently inaugurated ferry connectivity in 2024,” Munasinghe said. He said Sri Lanka wants more Indians to visit the country, while also encouraging more Sri Lankans to travel to India. “As much as we want Indians to visit Sri Lanka, we also want Sri Lankans to travel to India. For the airlines to survive, there are so many activities for Sri Lankans to come to India,” he said. Munasinghe also called for greater professional exchange between the two countries' tourism sectors. “It’s best if we can provide exposure to Sri Lankans to work in India and vice versa,” he said.

Industry leaders at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026 discussed India’s growing travel demand, aviation infrastructure, hospitality sector, tourism diplomacy and the need for stronger domestic and international tourism connectivity.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit: India’s tourism potential, aviation push and changing travel trends

This session focuses on one of the most powerful enablers of global travel and tourism: seamless cross-border mobility. It will explore how countries are enhancing travel access for Indian travellers through initiatives such as e-visas, visa-free arrangements, accelerated processing, and digital travel credentials. The discussion will also examine how greater ease of movement can strengthen tourism, foster deeper business and trade engagement, expand educational opportunities, and reinforce people-to-people connections between India and the world.


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Domestic travel has increased manifold post covid and helped the tourism industry in India thrive, feels Vikram Lalvani, MD and CEO, Sterling Holidays and Resorts. Lalvani was one of the panelists of the panel on Business of Tourism at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026 on Wednesday, where he attributed domestic travellers playing a major role in contributing to the tourism industry.&nbsp;"If we are all sitting here today and saying tourism is thriving, it is because of domestic tourism. After COVID, what was the first thing that rebounded? It was domestic tourism. So what if your hotel staff can't speak in English? If the basic hospitality comes from the heart, it's okay," Lalvani pointed out.&nbsp;The CEO stated that the entire tourism industry in India can't be built on just foreign tourists. "Our bread and butter comes from domestic tourism," admitted Lalvani.&nbsp;The CEO also stated that India should now become a tourist destination all year round.&nbsp;"The narrative of India can be 365 days tourist destination, that we need to build upon. Maximum tourists come in the winter months; why can't we have tourists from outside all year round? We all go to Dubai when it is 50 degrees, but we refuse to go to Jaisalmer in 50 degrees? So we need to change that."&nbsp;Lalvani also added that most tourists choose travel based on the destination they want to visit. "The reason to travel to a destination is more important than just putting a dot on the map. When people travel, they travel as a unit, as a family. Can there be a complete experience for their entire family."&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-iconic-tourism-summit-moving-towards-making-india-developed-nation-by-2047-1790151635415/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-iconic-tourism-summit-moving-towards-making-india-developed-nation-by-2047-1790151635415/embed</a>&nbsp;Emphasising that travelling should now be seen as an experience that caters to all age groups, Lalvani reiterated that better connectivity between two destinations can only boost tourism and the tourism economy.&nbsp;Also read: '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/i-made-this-film-for-kids-hanuman-ansh-director-dr-vishal-chaturvedi-on-why-he-wanted-u-certificate-at-wion-iconic-tourism-summitt-1790155768383">I made this film for kids': Hanuman Ansh director Dr Vishal Chaturvedi</a> WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026, presented by VFS Global in association with Red Hat Communications, is taking place in New Delhi on September 23.&nbsp;

Vikram Lalvani, the CEO and MD of Sterling Holidays and Resorts, attributed domestic travellers as major contributors to the tourism sector in India. Lalvani spoke at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026 on Wednesday. 

Domestic travel has increased manifold post covid and helped the tourism industry in India thrive, feels Vikram Lalvani, MD and CEO, Sterling Holidays and Resorts. Lalvani was one of the panelists of the panel on Business of Tourism at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026 on Wednesday, where he attributed domestic travellers playing a major role in contributing to the tourism industry. "If we are all sitting here today and saying tourism is thriving, it is because of domestic tourism. After COVID, what was the first thing that rebounded? It was domestic tourism. So what if your hotel staff can't speak in English? If the basic hospitality comes from the heart, it's okay," Lalvani pointed out. The CEO stated that the entire tourism industry in India can't be built on just foreign tourists. "Our bread and butter comes from domestic tourism," admitted Lalvani. The CEO also stated that India should now become a tourist destination all year round. "The narrative of India can be 365 days tourist destination, that we need to build upon. Maximum tourists come in the winter months; why can't we have tourists from outside all year round? We all go to Dubai when it is 50 degrees, but we refuse to go to Jaisalmer in 50 degrees? So we need to change that." Lalvani also added that most tourists choose travel based on the destination they want to visit. "The reason to travel to a destination is more important than just putting a dot on the map. When people travel, they travel as a unit, as a family. Can there be a complete experience for their entire family." https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-iconic-tourism-summit-moving-towards-making-india-developed-nation-by-2047-1790151635415/embed Emphasising that travelling should now be seen as an experience that caters to all age groups, Lalvani reiterated that better connectivity between two destinations can only boost tourism and the tourism economy. Also read: 'I made this film for kids': Hanuman Ansh director Dr Vishal Chaturvedi WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026, presented by VFS Global in association with Red Hat Communications, is taking place in New Delhi on September 23.

Vikram Lalvani, the CEO and MD of Sterling Holidays and Resorts, attributed domestic travellers as major contributors to the tourism sector in India. Lalvani spoke at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit and Awards 2026 on Wednesday.&nbsp;

'Our bread and butter comes from domestic tourism', says Vikram Lalvani of Sterling Holiday Resorts at WION Iconic Tourism Summit

‘Hanuman Ansh’ director Vishal Chaturvedia joins WION for a conversation at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026. Chaturvedia discusses the film, its connection with Indian culture and mythology, and the role of storytelling in bringing India’s heritage to audiences.

WION Iconic Tourism Summit 2026:  'Hanuman Ansh' director Vishal Chaturvedi in conversation with WION

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Latest News on Wion Iconic Tourism Summit And Awards 2026 | Read Breaking News on Wion Iconic Tourism Summit And Awards 2026 | Wion

Welcome to WION’s Iconic Tourism Summit, where travel meets diplomacy and global tourism takes centre stage. India’s leading voices from travel, tourism and hospitality come together to discuss the ideas shaping the destinations of tomorrow. Hosted by Vedica Singh, the summit brings quick and candid conversations with iconic leaders from the tourism industry.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Shaping the future of global travel

Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra shares his vision for making the national capital a leading global tourist destination. He discusses plans to promote Delhi’s rich history, culture and heritage while improving the overall experience for visitors. Mishra also highlights the importance of stronger tourism infrastructure and attracting more domestic and international travellers. Watch his conversation at WION’s Iconic Tourism Summit.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Delhi Tourism Min Kapil Mishra reveals his vision to boost Delhi tourism

Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shares his message on the future of tourism and highlights the importance of sustainable travel. Speaking at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit, Shekhawat stresses the need for responsible tourism that protects destinations while creating meaningful experiences for travellers. Watch his key message on sustainable tourism and the road ahead.


WION Iconic Tourism Summit: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat hails sustainable travel


Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat arrives at the WION Iconic Tourism Summit. The summit brings together key voices from India’s tourism and hospitality sector to discuss the future of travel, tourism and India’s growing global appeal. Stay tuned for insights and conversations from the event.

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