CII India Tea Forum 2026 to Focus on Tea Tourism and Global Participation

MP, 6 Jan 2026, Siliguri: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) North Bengal Zonal Council on Monday briefed the media about the upcoming 9th CII India Tea Forum 2026, scheduled to be held on 17 and 18 January at the Mayfair Tea Resort, Siliguri.

Addressing the media, CII leaders underlined that tea continues to be the backbone of North Bengal’s economy, supporting livelihoods across Darjeeling, the Dooars and the Terai. They, however, noted that the sector is currently grappling with declining margins, production challenges, changing consumption trends and increasing global competition. The forum will therefore focus on strengthening production, exports and domestic consumption to revive the sector while ensuring long-term sustainability of tea gardens and workers’ livelihoods.

A key highlight of the forum will be its emphasis on tea tourism, which CII described as a growing avenue for economic diversification. Heritage tea estates, tea trails, tastings and experiential tourism are generating employment, attracting tourists and creating additional income for estates and local communities. The forum will deliberate on the structured development of tea tourism in the region.

CII leaders also acknowledged the initiatives taken by the state Government and Tea Board India in areas such as labour welfare, minimum wages, production enhancement and export promotion. The India Tea Forum 2026 will feature international participation, including foreign buyers and overseas delegates. The presence of popular tea promoter Dolly Chaiwala is expected to add a contemporary focus on youth engagement and entrepreneurship.

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post