ITB India 2025, a leading B2B travel trade show organised by Messe Berlin, officially opened today in Mumbai, marking its third in-person edition as a premier B2B trade show and conference for the travel industry.

In a press statement, the organisers say that under the theme The Business of Experience: Curated Travel for Targetted Growth, the event brings together a global gathering of over 400 exhibitors, 600 high-caliber buyers and expects upwards of 8,000 trade visitors from sectors including MICE, leisure, corporate and travel technology.

The statement adds that the three-day event is co-located with MICE Show India and Travel Tech India, focussing on the rising demand for experience-driven travel with emphasis on wellness, culture, cinematic storytelling and adventure tourism.

The organisers say that Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh have been named the Official Partner States of ITB India 2025, showcasing their diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

It adds that these states are positioned as prime destinations offering authentic and immersive travel experiences beyond the usual tourist trails.

According to the statement, the exhibition features wide international participation across the entire tourism value chain. Key exhibitors include national tourism organizations, top MICE companies, online travel agencies, hospitality brands, travel tech providers and travel agents. Notable exhibitors such as Wonderful Indonesia, Visit Northern Finland, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism Oman, and several others underline the event’s global scope and comprehensive market reach.

The organisers say that running alongside the trade show is the ITB India Conference 2025, featuring more than 40 sessions across four curated tracks, Knowledge Theatre, MICE & Corporate, Travel Tech and Experiential Travel. Industry leaders will discuss India’s growing outbound travel market, innovations in MICE and corporate travel, the transformative role of AI and analytics in travel tech, and the shift towards experiential and purpose-driven travel.

“ITB India 2025 demonstrates the vitality of the Indian and South Asian travel markets, serving as an essential platform for global engagement and collaboration. This year’s edition places a strong emphasis on experience-led travel while fostering fresh opportunities for dialogue, innovation and partnerships across MICE, Corporate, Leisure and Travel Technology. We are delighted to welcome our Official Partner States, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, whose participation brings India’s diversity and cultural depth to the forefront, further cementing ITB India’s position as a gateway to the future of travel,” says Darren Seah, Executive Director, Messe Berlin Asia Pacific and organiser of ITB India, MICE Show India and Travel Tech India.

The Delhi government issued a flood alert on Monday evening after the Yamuna river climbed close to the danger mark. Authorities said water levels would reach 206 metres between 5 pm and 8 pm on Tuesday, leading to the closure of Loha Pul for all public and traffic movement. The order was confirmed by the District Magistrate of Shahdara.

Orange weather warning for NCR

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) upgraded its weather warning to orange across Delhi and the National Capital Region, urging residents to prepare for heavy showers. Officials said the rainfall was being driven by the monsoon in combination with an unusually active western disturbance, which has also brought downpours to Himalayan states.

Temperatures dropped to 24–25 degrees Celsius, but the fall in mercury did little to ease the problems caused by clogged roads and flooding. Commuters were seen navigating waist-deep water in parts of the city, while pedestrians struggled to move through submerged streets.

Gurugram faces intense rainfall

Gurugram was hit hardest. Between 3 pm and 7 pm, the city received over 100 mm of rain. Stretches near Hero Honda Chowk, Patel Nagar and Signature Bridge were completely inundated. The service lane of the Dwarka Expressway had to be shut as water levels rose sharply, and the expressway’s drainage system collapsed under pressure.

By 6 pm, more than 90 mm of rainfall had been recorded, leaving vehicles stranded and traffic backed up at the Delhi-Gurugram border along National Highway-8. The downpour, which lasted for hours, paralysed key roads connecting Dwarka to Kherki Daula and several sectors of Gurugram.

Work from home and online classes advised

The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) asked private offices and institutions to shift to remote work on Tuesday. It also directed schools to move to online classes. In its advisory, the Gurgaon deputy commissioner said the order aimed to reduce traffic jams, ensure public safety, and minimise disruption after the city received over 100 mm of rain in just five hours.

The circular, sent late on Monday to the District Information and Public Relations Office, also tasked education officers with ensuring full compliance by both government and private schools.

Officials urged residents to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid unnecessary travel. They advised those who needed to step out to follow weather updates closely. Emergency services were placed on standby while authorities continued to assess the situation.

Rain impact across Delhi

Several parts of Delhi, including Akbar Road near India Gate, were pounded by rain. While waterlogging was less severe than in Gurugram, traffic slowed to a crawl during the evening rush as people left their offices.

Authorities confirmed that traffic restrictions on Loha Pul were necessary to prevent risks from the swelling Yamuna.

India’s roads continue to claim hundreds of lives every year, with certain cities standing out for the sheer scale of fatalities. Delhi, Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad have emerged as the deadliest for motorists, with speeding and reckless driving cited as the leading causes.

In 2023, Ahmedabad recorded 535 deaths due to road accidents, placing it among India’s most dangerous cities for motorists, according to a TOI report. Alarmingly, 462 of these fatalities—nearly 86%—occurred on straight roads, highlighting a disturbing trend. Officials say this is due to the city’s long, open stretches and relatively fewer blind curves, which encourage drivers to overspeed. SG Highway, dotted with bridges, has been identified as a significant contributor to the high toll.

“Speeding over the limit and reckless driving are cited as the main culprits,” officials noted.

Accidents on bridges formed the next major category, with 77 crashes claiming 41 lives—around 7% of the city’s total road deaths. The tragic Iskcon flyover accident, which killed nine people and injured 13, was the most high-profile case. Other unusual fatalities included one person falling into a pothole and two deaths on an under-construction road.

Controlled vs Uncontrolled Roads

The report also sheds light on where fatalities occur: 21 deaths were recorded on roads with traffic lights, 32 on stretches managed by police, and a staggering 205 on uncontrolled roads. This ranking puts Ahmedabad fifth nationwide in deaths on uncontrolled roads, behind Mumbai (336), Indore (258), Delhi (241), and Bengaluru (241).

Delhi tops the list with 938 fatalities, followed by Bengaluru with 793, and Jaipur with 718 deaths. Ahmedabad, with 535 road deaths, underscores the need for stricter enforcement and public awareness campaigns to curb reckless driving.