TTF Kolkata 2023 Concludes With Record-Breaking Numbers!
Ambar Bhattacharya, Takmaa News, Kolkata, 17th July 2023 : TTF Kolkata 2023 surpassed all expectations, offering an exceptional platform for the travel trade industry of West Bengal and beyond to come together and network, foster connections, and conduct business with exhibitors from across India and abroad. The 3-day event successfully brought together the vibrant travel trade community of Eastern India, allowing them to interact with exhibitors who showcased their finest products and services. As India’s oldest travel trade show (est. 1989), TTF Kolkata staged a grand display of domestic and international travel offerings, with over 400 exhibitors representing 4 countries and 25 Indian states and UTs.
The travel market in India is at a pivotal stage, witnessing remarkable growth, positioning itself as one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide. The domestic tourism sector in India is witnessing a robust recovery and is expected to reach INR 35 trillion by 2029, with a steady annual growth rate of 6.7%. Additionally, in terms of outbound tourism, a study conducted by Andersen predicts that it will exceed $42 billion by 2024.
According to research conducted by Booking.com, Indians have emerged as the most confident travellers in the Asia Pacific region, with 86% of Indians expressing their intention to travel within the next 12 months.
This upswing was clearly evident at TTF Kolkata 2023, which took place on the 14th, 15th & 16th of July 2023 at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan (formerly known as Milan Mela). The event witnessed significant growth, being twice the size of last year’s event.
Renowned destinations like the Tourism Authority of Thailand, State Tourism Boards, and private participants such as Air India, Sterling Holidays Resorts, Neptune Holidays, Ramoji Film City, and many more were present at the show.
The event was inaugurated in a grand way in the presence of Chief Guest Shri Babul Supriyo,Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Tourism, Information Technology & Electronics, Government of West Bengal;
Guests of Honor Included –
HE Ms. Acharapan Yavaprapas, Consul-General of Thailand, Royal Thai Consulate;
Mr. Sagnik Chowdhury, Regional Director East, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India;
Ms. Amrit Singh, IAS, Director Tourism, Govt. of Punjab;
Senior Tourism Officials from Indian States;
Heads of Travel Trade Associations and members of the media.
“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”, commented Shri Babul Supriyo.
Kolkata, being the melting pot of travel-loving people is where TTF started more than three decades back – in 1989. It is presently organised annually in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore, making it India’s oldest and largest travel trade show network, focused on providing highly effective marketing platforms to promote tourism in India’s key travel markets.
Recent reports indicate that Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the 5th busiest airport in India. The introduction of new flights connecting Southeast Asia and the Gulf regions has further contributed to the airport’s growing passenger traffic.
Uttarakhand, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh were the Partner States at the show, with large colourful pavilions, highlighting their diverse attractions along with a large number of private hoteliers and tour operators.
Feature States included Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, and Punjab.
Thailand, a country that has daily flight connections from Kolkata was showcased as the Feature Country. HE Ms. Acharapan Yavaprapas, Consul-General of the Royal Thai Consulate in Kolkata attended the inauguration of TTF as the guest of honour.
“Thailand, as the Feature Country at the Travel and Tourism Fair in Kolkata 2023, values Indian tourists and their growing interest in exploring our diverse attractions. With warm hospitality, renowned Thai cuisine, and a wide range of experiences, the 5F’s attractions, namely Food, Festival, Fight (Thai Kickboxing), Fashion, and Film are keys to creating a meaningful travel experience for all travellers. In addition, Thailand also excels in catering to a wide array of travellers, ensuring extraordinary moments for everyone, such as: 1) Health and Wellness 2) Weddings and Honeymoon 3) Thai Gastronomy 4) Sport Tourism, and 5) Luxury travel. Last but not least, we aim to strengthen our bond and invite Indian tourists to discover an enchanting journey in Thailand, the Land of Smiles, where they will be warmly welcomed and have unforgettable experiences.” – said HE Ms. Acharapan Yavaprapas.
Other exhibitors included countries like Nepal and the UAE as well as Indian states like Andaman & Nicobar Islands, New Delhi, Haryana, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal. The exhibitors consisted of travel agents, tour operators, hospitality chains, destination management companies (DMCs), and various tourist attractions.
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India played a significant role at the event, showcasing their 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 show was reserved for travel trade visitors for the first one and a half days, following which the event was open to all visitors from the second half of day 2 and all of day 3.
The TTF Forum saw exciting destination presentations by the State Tourism Boards of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, along with a high-tea networking session organised 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; also Thailand presented “Amazing Thailand: Part of Your Life”, on the first and second day of the event showcasing the uniqueness and beauty of the destination. ACT (Association for Conservation & Tourism), the Responsible Tourism Partner for TTF Kolkata 2023 had multiple engaging sessions planned.
Days 2 and 3 saw tremendous footfall from both trade visitors and enthusiastic travellers. The event was buzzing with thousands of visitors, interacting with exhibitors from across India and abroad, ready with the best and the biggest travel deals for the upcoming vacation season.
“TTF 2023 is off to a great start with TTF Kolkata surpassing all expectations, thousands have gathered over the last three days, to witness the biggest ever TTF Kolkata! The demand has been high for tradeshows and we are expecting to be full-house at the upcoming TTF Ahmedabad, TTF Hyderabad and BLTM in Delhi.” said Sanjiv Agarwal, Chairman & CEO, Fairfest Media Ltd., the organisers of TTF.[1]
TTF had the active support of travel associations like OTOAI, TAAI, TAFI, SKAL Kolkata, ETAA, ADTOI, TAAB, EHTTOA, ATSPB, HHTDN, IATTE, TAHAT, ABTO, NIMA, Tourism Welfare Association, and TOA.
TTF is the oldest and biggest network of travel trade shows in the country, covering 7 cities annually. In addition to Kolkata, it is organised in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.
TTF is held in Kolkata every year before the Durga Puja holidays – the busiest vacation travel season in the region.
