Marking a significant milestone in India’s travel and tourism landscape, Red Hat Communications (an initiative by Jyoti Mayal) successfully hosted the 9th edition of the WION ICONIC Tourism Summit 2026, in association with Zee Network and VFS Global, on 23rd September, at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. The summit was graced by the presence of Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Culture & Tourism as Chief Guest and Shri Kapil Mishra, Cabinet Minister, Govt. of Delhi as Guest of Honour.
Over the past years, ICONIC has evolved into a prominent platform bringing together leading voices from travel, tourism, aviation, hospitality, government, and allied sectors to exchange ideas, address emerging challenges, and explore new opportunities for the industry.
The landmark 9th edition was held under the broader theme “Reinventing Tourism: Where Technology, AI and Sustainability Are Shaping the Future of Travel” reflecting the rapidly changing dynamics of the global tourism ecosystem. The summit focused on the forces shaping the next decade of travel, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, aviation expansion, sustainable tourism, evolving traveller expectations, destination readiness, and the need for a future-ready workforce.
Over the years, ICONIC has provided a common platform for industry leaders, policymakers, diplomats, hospitality professionals, aviation experts and tourism stakeholders to engage in meaningful conversations around the changing face of travel. The 9th edition built on this legacy by bringing together influential voices to discuss how the sector can remain resilient, innovative and globally competitive in an increasingly technology-driven environment.
Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Culture & Tourism addressed the summit adding, Tourism will play an increasingly important role in India’s growth story, and our approach has always been rooted in the timeless values of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Atithi Devo Bhava. The growth of tourism goes far beyond architecture or amenities. It depends on a complete ecosystem where infrastructure, connectivity, hospitality, food and beverage, technology, local communities and travel enablers work together to create a meaningful experience for visitors.
Tourism is becoming increasingly decentralised, which presents a tremendous opportunity for a diverse country like India. Technology and social media are opening up destinations that were earlier less visible, while AI, AR and VR can help travellers curate experiences and discover destinations in new ways. Yet technology can only enable the journey; it can never replace the human touch. Travel agents, tour operators and other travel enablers continue to play an important role in shaping the overall visitor experience.
Indian hospitality has always been one of our greatest strengths, and we must continue to raise the bar. In the age of social media, a visitor’s experience can travel faster than anything else and a poor experience can influence the perception of an entire destination. This makes it essential for all stakeholders to work together on quality, safety, infrastructure and connectivity. India offers immense possibilities for unparalleled travel experiences because of its extraordinary diversity, and our collective responsibility is to build an ecosystem that allows these experiences to flourish.
Shri Kapil Mishra, Minister of Labour, Delhi, by sharing his insights, added, “It is a privilege to be part of ICONIC Summit 2026 and to engage with stakeholders who share a common vision for the growth of tourism. We all have a role to play in taking tourism forward in the national capital as well as across India. Delhi and the NCR region have immense potential, and we are undertaking several measures to strengthen tourism infrastructure, architecture and visitor experiences across the capital and its surrounding areas. At the same time, making Delhi a leading tourism hub will require greater participation from the private sector, with investments and partnerships that can help strengthen infrastructure, develop new tourism experiences and create more opportunities for visitors.
Technology, artificial intelligence and social media are opening up new possibilities for tourism and can significantly expand the way destinations are discovered and experienced. At the same time, the impact we create will ultimately depend on how effectively all stakeholders come together and translate these opportunities into meaningful action. Stronger public-private partnerships can play an important role in bringing together government vision, industry expertise and private investment to build a more vibrant and competitive tourism ecosystem for Delhi. Government, industry, tourism professionals and citizens must work collectively to build an ecosystem that supports sustainable growth and creates a stronger tourism experience.
I invite stakeholders from across the industry and everyone working towards the larger interests of the nation to come forward, collaborate and contribute their ideas towards strengthening tourism in Delhi and across India. I also extend my appreciation to Hon’ble Union Minister of Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat ji for his continued efforts and passion towards taking Indian tourism forward. Together, we can build further on the vision of the Government and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and strengthen tourism as an important contributor to India’s growth and prosperity.”
Addressing the summit as a keynote speaker, Ms. Jyoti Mayal, Chairperson, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) and CEO, Red Hat Communications, highlighted that tourism today is much more than travel, it is an ecosystem that connects infrastructure, technology, hospitality, culture, entrepreneurship and communities. India has a tremendous opportunity to build tourism experiences rooted in its local identity while creating livelihoods and economic opportunities for the communities that host them. This will require stronger collaboration between government, industry, investors and local stakeholders, alongside greater focus on skilling and digital readiness. As AI and technology reshape the traveller journey, we must ensure that innovation continues to complement the human touch that lies at the heart of hospitality. The future of Indian tourism will be shaped not just by the number of visitors we attract, but by the opportunities we create for communities, entrepreneurs and the people who make these experiences possible.
The 9th edition brought together several prominent industry leaders including Tribhuvan Darbari, Chairman, BIMSTEC Business Council Secretariat, India; Mr. K.B.Kachru, Chairman Emeritus & Principal Advisor, South Asia at Radisson Hotel Group, Ravi Nandan Sinha, Director, Strategic Investments & Economic Partnerships, MSME Business Forum India; Saurabh Tiwari, Vice President – Middle East, Maldives & Sri Lanka, IHCL (Taj Dubai); Vikram Lalvani, MD & CEO, Sterling Holiday Resorts; Manish Puri, Head of Global Sales, Air India Limited & Air India Express; Ahmed Hamed Sharbak, Regional Manager (APAC), Visit Qatar; Kamal Munasinghe, Senior VP, Colombo Hotels, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and General Manager, Cinnamon Life; Anil Parashar, Executive Director, ITQ Technologies Pvt. Ltd.; Vinay Malhotra, Head, Strategic Global Partnerships, VFS Global; Achin Sharma, Chief Digital Officer, WAISL (GMR Cargo); and Abhilash Kalathil Ramesh, Executive Director, Kairali Ayurvedic Group and Sharad Gowani, Head of Operations – India, VFS Global, among several other eminent industry stakeholders.
The summit also brought a strong international perspective through the participation of senior diplomatic representatives, H.E. Mariano Agustin Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina to India; H.E. Hanisha Jairam, Ambassador of Suriname to India; H.E. Lalatiana Accouche, High Commissioner of Seychelles to India; H.E. Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner of South Africa to India; H.E. Aliki Koutsomitopoulou, Ambassador of Greece to India; H.E. Kevin Kelly, Ambassador of Ireland to India; H.E. Nadeska Cuthbert, Ambassador of Nicaragua to India; H.E. Robert Maxian, Ambassador of Slovakia to India; H.E. Evagoras Vryonides, High Commissioner of Cyprus to India; H.E. Mahishini Colonné, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India; and Muktesh Pardeshi, Former Secretary and Former Ambassador to Türkiye & New Zealand. Their participation reinforced the growing importance of international partnerships in strengthening inbound tourism, outbound travel and cross-border collaboration.
Speaking on the successful completion of the 9th edition, Ms. Jyoti Mayal, visionary behind the ICONIC platform and Chairperson, Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), said: “Today, marking the 9th edition of ICONIC is a deeply meaningful milestone. Over the years, the platform has grown into a space where leaders across sectors can come together, exchange perspectives and collectively shape the future of travel and tourism. The industry has undergone tremendous transformation, with technology, AI, sustainability and evolving traveller expectations reshaping the way tourism is experienced. As we look ahead, the opportunity lies in building a more connected and inclusive tourism ecosystem—one that brings together government, industry, investors, technology partners and local communities. Collaboration, innovation and skilling will be central to ensuring that tourism growth creates stronger destinations, new opportunities and meaningful livelihoods. I am grateful to all the industry leaders, policymakers, diplomats and partners who have been part of the ICONIC journey and contributed to making it a meaningful platform for the industry.”
The 9th edition of WION ICONIC Tourism Summit 2026 concluded with a renewed focus on collaboration, innovation and future-readiness, while celebrating a decade of conversations, connections and ideas that have contributed to the evolving narrative of India’s travel and tourism industry.