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TTF Kolkata 2023 becomes a prominent place to connect and meet in East India

 Monday, July 17, 2023

The highly anticipated TTF Kolkata 2023 concluded with resounding success, providing an exceptional platform for the travel trade industry of West Bengal and beyond.

Over the course of three days, the event brought together the vibrant travel community of Eastern India, facilitating networking opportunities, fostering connections, and enabling business transactions with exhibitors from across India and abroad.

As India’s oldest travel trade show, TTF Kolkata showcased a grand display of domestic and international travel offerings, with a staggering participation of over 400 exhibitors representing 4 countries, 25 Indian states, and UTs.

Ram Krishna Jaiswal, Hon. Consul Republic of Maldives in Kolkata, West Bengal says, “It was indeed great pleasure to attend TTF Kolkata 2023 as the Guest-of-Honour in my official capacity as the Hon.Consul Republic of Maldives in Kolkata. The sheer energy and positive aura along with engendered excitement of all the participants from various states/destinations surely made the programme feel like a brilliant success! I also take this opportunity to welcome tourists to Maldives with friends & enjoy the scene at bliss.”

India’s travel market is experiencing a transformative phase, positioning itself as one of the fastest-growing markets globally.

The domestic tourism sector is witnessing a robust recovery and is projected to reach INR 35 trillion by 2029, with an annual growth rate of 6.7%. The outbound tourism from India is set to exceed $42 billion by 2024, according to a study conducted by Andersen.

The enthusiasm for travel among Indians was evident at TTF Kolkata 2023, held on July 14th to 16th at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan (formerly known as Milan Mela). The event witnessed substantial growth, being twice the size of the previous year’s edition.

Prominent destinations such as the Tourism Authority of Thailand, State Tourism Boards, and private participants like Air India, Sterling Holidays Resorts, Neptune Holidays, and Ramoji Film City showcased their finest products and services at the show.

The event commenced with a grand inauguration ceremony graced by Chief Guest Shri Babul Supriyo, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge of Tourism, Information Technology & Electronics, Government of West Bengal. Distinguished guests, including HE Ms. Acharapan Yavaprapas, Consul-General of Thailand, Royal Thai Consulate, Mr. Sagnik Chowdhury, Regional Director East, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, and Ms. Amrit Singh, IAS, Director Tourism, Govt. of Punjab, were present along with senior tourism officials, heads of travel trade associations, and members of the media.

Shri Babul Supriyo expressed his pleasure at the event, stating, “It’s a pleasure to be at a buzzing event like TTF today. Walking the show, I noticed exhibitors from Indian States highlighting their destinations, and that is exactly what we aspire to do at West Bengal Tourism. We have so much to offer, and we want you to bring your tourists to us, and we will ensure to reciprocate the love that we are known for.”

TTF Kolkata, established in 1989, holds a special significance as it started in Kolkata, a city known as the melting pot of travel enthusiasts. It is now organized annually in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore, making it India’s oldest and largest travel trade show network focused on promoting tourism in key travel markets.

Recent reports indicate that Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the fifth busiest airport in India, further fueling the growth of passenger traffic with the introduction of new flights connecting Southeast Asia and the Gulf regions.

Partner States at the show included Uttarakhand, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, with their colorful pavilions highlighting diverse attractions. Additionally, feature states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, and Punjab garnered attention.

Thailand, showcased as the Feature Country, emphasized its commitment to welcoming Indian tourists, highlighting its warm hospitality, renowned cuisine, and a wide range of experiences. The Tourism Authority of Thailand aims to create a meaningful travel experience for all travelers, with attractions spanning food, festivals, Thai kickboxing, fashion, film, health and wellness, weddings and honeymoons, gastronomy, sports tourism, and luxury travel.

Nepal, the UAE, and various Indian states including Andaman & Nicobar Islands, New Delhi, Haryana, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal also participated, offering a diverse range of travel agents, tour operators, hospitality chains, destination management companies, and tourist attractions.

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India played a significant role at the event, showcasing ongoing initiatives and highlighting key events such as the recently held G20 summit, ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,’ ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat,’ and ‘Dekho Apna Desh.’

The TTF Forum featured engaging destination presentations by the State Tourism Boards of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, along with a high-tea networking session organized by Rajasthan Tourism. The forum hosted a power-packed panel discussion on the “Importance of Kolkata as a Gateway to Eastern India, both as a source market and as a destination.” Thailand presented “Amazing Thailand: Part of Your Life,” showcasing the uniqueness and beauty of the destination. ACT (Association for Conservation & Tourism), the Responsible Tourism Partner for TTF Kolkata 2023, organized multiple engaging sessions.

Days 2 and 3 witnessed an overwhelming response from trade visitors and enthusiastic travelers, with thousands of visitors interacting with exhibitors, exploring the best travel deals for their upcoming vacations.

Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman & CEO of Fairfest Media Ltd., the organizers of TTF, expressed delight at the success of TTF Kolkata 2023 and the growing demand for trade shows. He anticipated full-house participation at the upcoming TTF Ahmedabad, TTF Hyderabad, and BLTM in Delhi.

TTF Kolkata 2023 received active support from esteemed travel associations including OTOAI, TAAI, TAFI, SKAL Kolkata, ETAA, ADTOI, TAAB, EHTTOA, ATSPB, HHTDN, IATTE, TAHAT, ABTO, NIMA, Tourism Welfare Association, and TOA.

TTF, as the country’s oldest and largest network of travel trade shows, covers seven cities annually, providing highly effective marketing platforms for promoting tourism. The show’s timing before the Durga Puja holidays, the busiest vacation travel season in the region, adds to its significance.