TTF Kolkata ends on a high note indicating gradual restart of travel & tourism
THE VOICE OF CHANDIGARH | TRAVEL TRADE REPORTER:
TTF Kolkata, India’s oldest travel trade show, ends at the Netaji Indoor Stadium after providing a much-awaited platform for the travel trade to meet and reconnect in eastern India and across the country.
TTF Kolkata came to a close on Sunday 12, after three days of live networking and meetings at Netaji Indoor Stadium. The event rekindled hopes of the travel trade, signalling that travel and tourism are already on the road to recovery, with confidence.
Close to 150 exhibitors and representatives from 16 states participated in TTF Kolkata, from 10-12 September at Netaji Indoor Stadium.
The show brought together under one roof the best of the travel industry from all over India, for reviving and restarting tourism in India.
Gujarat, Karnataka and Uttarakhand were the Partner States. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Tripura joined the show as the Feature States, alongside key private players from DMCs, hospitality sector, aviation and others. Air India was the Official Partner of the show once again. India Tourism was also present in a big way.
TTF Kolkata had the active support and presence of travel associations like OTOAI, TAAI, TAFI, ADTOI, IATO, SKAL, NIMA, ETAA, TAAB, TAHAT, ATSPB, EHTTOA, IATTE, ABTO.
The show was reserved to travel trade visitors on the first day and a half and open for all thereafter. Stall awards were announced for the most vibrant exhibitors, as per the enclosed list of awardees.
“The response has been extremely positive. TTF Kolkata is one of the very first travel trade shows in recent times, said Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman & CEO, Fairfest Media, the organisers of TTF – the oldest and largest travel tradeshow network in India. “TTF Kolkata proved that tourism professionals and travelers are eager to meet again and start the wheels of tourism, helping the economy and livelihoods of a huge number of people in these trying times. Response to TTF Kolkata is a strong sign that travel & tourism is gearing up for a recovery that may exceed all expectations by the next year; he added.
Gujarat Tourism held a Destination Presentation on the second day of the show, highlighting the Statue of Unity, the World’s tallest Monument and Dholavira, the latest addition to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The presentation was attended in large numbers by the travel trade.
India Tourism also hosted special programmes from ‘Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat’ to ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ that delighted the trade as well as travel enthusiasts with quizzes and prices, ahead of the holidays.
Lastly, Amcho Bastar held a breakthrough discussion on Transforming Tourism at an experimental destination of Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
The three-day show came to a rousing conclusion with the Valedictory and Awards Function where participants were awarded in various categories.
TTF Kolkata will be followed by TTF Ahmedabad on 23rd, 24th and 25th September. A few days later, TTF Mumbai will take place on 29th, 30th September & 1st October. The shows mark the return of physical trade shows in India’s top travel markets, signalling a strong sentiment of the tourism industry that has had such a rough patch, to come back to some sense of normalcy in the near future.
TTF Kolkata at Netaji Indoor Stadium has reignited the wheels of travel and tourism once again.
