I was in Delhi for the Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) exhibition summit in March, and there was genuine optimism in the air about finally winning some Government recognition for the industry.
India needs to invest in its infrastructure, make tax concessions for overseas operators and cut back on its red tape for us to succeed. And while the country’s Union Minister of Tourism, Subodh Kant Sahai, seemed to acknowledge the need for industry recognition, he’ll need forecasts on the potential implications for employment and investment that arise from embracing our industry if he is to convince his peers.
Let’s hope the IEIA is able to present him with a numbered and comprehensive argument to take to the people we want him to convince.
The more India’s Government is able to see the benefits exhibitions can bring, the greater the opportunity for organisers.
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