The energetic capital of a fast-transforming India, New Delhi, with its vibrant contradiction of the old and new, is the epitome of modern India. The ruins of the old city, scattered around the urban core, are testimony to its past rulers. These include the Mughal kings, who built the Red Fort in the now bustling old Delhi. New Delhi's elegantly designed buildings reveal the architectural brilliance of the British architect Edwin Lutyens; one example is the Rashtrapati Bhavan (or the President's House) and its adjoining Mughal Garden. As the world turns to India as the second-largest growing market after China, the New Delhi event venues attract high-level delegations, summits and events, offering a fusion of warm Indian hospitality with modern luxury.
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has emerged as the busiest in India, with around 36 million passengers in 2011, an increase of nearly 6 million over the previous year. Privately run, the airport has a major market share of air traffic to the Middle East, European, Asian and American regions.
New Delhi event venues include Pragati Maidan, India's largest exhibition center. Spread across 149 acres, Pragati Maidan is three kilometers away from the center of the city. It offers 61,290 square meters of exhibition space, as well as 10,000 square meters of open display space. Major international fairs hosted here include the India International Trade Fair, World Book Fair, Auto Expo and Defense Expo. A 30-minute drive away from the heart of Delhi on the outskirts is the Delhi International Expo Center, with banquet space to accommodate 5,000, and eight exhibition halls.
Hotel venues in New Delhi include the recently refurbished 16,435-square-foot convention hall at the Ashok Hotel, which seats 2,500 delegates. The Taj Palace Hotel has 11 independent meeting rooms totaling 40,000 square feet, as well as two lawns that accommodate 500 people.
Delhi is known for its barbecued kebabs. Bukhara restaurant at the ITC Maurya Sheraton, where a spicy meat dish is named for President Bill Clinton (following his visit to the restaurant), is an absolute must. While major hotels have signature restaurants serving Western food, a post-meeting dinner is recommended at the Olive Bar and Restaurant, serving Mediterranean cuisine, located in a 400-year-old mansion close to the World Heritage Site, the 12th-century Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret in India.
