Debut edition of Global Destinations Expo and Conference inaugurated in New Delhi.

New Delhi (India) : The first edition of Global Destinations Expo & Conference (GDEC) – Weddings & Films was inaugurated in New Delhi on July 14.

The three-day B2B event being held at JW Marriott, Aerocity in New Delhi is organized by India Advantage Foundation and managed by iCONEX Exhibitions. Event inauguration was done in the presence of Amaresh Tiwari, Chairman, India Advantage Foundation (IAF) & Global Destination Expo & Conference (GDEC) and important dignitaries, including Maharaj Kumar Sahib Lakshyaraj Singh Ji Mewar of Udaipur & Executive Director – HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur; Mohamad Gulamali Morani, Managing Director, Cineyug Group of Companies; S. Viswanathan, IAS, Managing Director – Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation; Dr. Bharat Pathak – Vice Chairman MGNCRE Hyderabad MHRD, Govt. Of India; and Dr. Nandita Pathak – Founder Director JP Foundation, Udyamita Vidyapeeth.

A premier B2B event, Global Destinations Expo & Conference, focuses on the weddings and film production segment and aims to support the Destination marketing and management industry along with the people who make it work, i.e. the Global Destination Organizations, Event Planners and Tourism Boards. GDEC is being organized at an opportune time as the industry begins to recover from the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on the Travel and Hospitality sector.

Amaresh Tiwari, Chairman, India Advantage Foundation (IAF) & Global Destination Expo & Conference (GDEC), at the inauguration, said, ‘Our vision with GDEC is to bring under one platform the wedding and film production stakeholders with service providers from travel and hospitality sector to explore business opportunities. We believe these niche tourism segments also need to be brought under the gamut of MICE to enjoy benefits of the industry status.’

He added, ‘Our vision is also to position India as an attractive destination for weddings. With over 32mn NRIs residing worldwide, we have a large opportunity to explore this segment.’

Maharaj Kumar Sahib Lakshyaraj Singh Ji Mewar of Udaipur & Executive Director – HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur commented, ‘The world is becoming smaller, yet people are growing distant. While achieving all kinds of professional growth, the pride one feels to see your country’s name attached to yours is a feeling that cannot be described. I feel people need to work more closely to ensure India’s global image grows.

Mohamad Gulamali Morani, Managing Director, Cineyug Group of Companies, said, ‘While the world is beautiful, there is no dearth of breathtaking locations in our country. For weddings or films, India is brimming with scenic destinations, and we must work domestically and join hands with hotels in India, and destinations, to promote our country. The government also needs to ease the permits needed for shooting, which many states have already done.”

S. Viswanathan, IAS, Managing Director – Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation, said, ‘Madhya Pradesh offers many scenic locations for destination weddings and film shoots. We are aggressively promoting the state as a tourist destination with a special focus on customized experiences for senior citizens and children.’

Dr. Nandita Pathak – Founder Director JP Foundation, Udyamita Vidyapeeth, shared, ‘The government has not just cleared the coastline along River Ganges but is also developing the coastline alongside the Namami Gange in collaboration with ITDC. ITDC is working towards building properties that will enable people to host weddings or events alongside the Ganges shore.’

A one of its kind industry event, GDEC will offer a much-needed platform for tourism boards and hospitality brands to connect with key wedding planners and film production houses to explore business opportunities. A series of panel discussions and informative workshops with industry experts are also lined up over the event’s three days to discuss changing trends affecting wedding business and film shoots, along with strategies for organizations and destinations to tap the potential of these segments.

The GDEC will feature panel discussions, addresses and knowledge-sharing sessions on various subjects by renowned names in the industry. To name a few: Maharaj Kumar Sahib Lakshyaraj Singh Ji Mewar of Udaipur & Executive Director, HRH Group of Hotels (Udaipur); Rituraj Khanna, Director – Q Events; Brian Worley, Creative Director & Owner – B. Worley Productions; Angela Proffitt, CEO GSD creative, USA; Monica Balli, Founder Lime SRL, Italy; Martin Emmanuel – Managing Director, Razzmatazz Ventures; Neha Mehrotra – Founder and Director at Foreign Wedding Planners; Devika Sakhuja -Devika Sakhuja Designs; Rajiv Kapoor – General Manager – Fairmont Jaipur; and Mohamad Gulamali Morani – Managing Director, Cineyug Group of Companies amongst others.

Day 1 of the event will see a lineup of expert panel discussions on subjects ranging from Indian & International wedding industry collaboration, Technology Integration in the Wedding Industry, Upcoming trends in Décor & Wedding planning and the Changing Trends of Indian Weddings.

Day 2 & 3 will comprise one-on-one hosted buyer meetings alongside several engaging workshops and training led by seasoned professionals from the domestic as well as global wedding industry. Panel discussions will cover essential subjects ranging from the Power of business networking to Challenges and New Opportunities in the Wedding business post-pandemic and the changing game of the Indian gourmet business.

The inaugural event will see participation from over 50+ exhibitors and 200+ hosted buyers from India and overseas.

The India Advantage Foundation is a not–for–profit organization dedicated to supporting the work to empower organisations globally through innovation and resource incubation. The foundation seeks to provide its members with innovative thought leadership, tools and solutions, as well as incubate future products and programs that will advance and support the work of the associations and the industry. 

Our current focus areas include Industry Advocacy & Research, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Talent & Workforce Development, and Global Outreach Investment in different organizations.