As TAFI celebrates its 40th anniversary with a convention in Rhodes, Greece, the executive members, Anil Kalsi, Hitank Shah, Rai Achal Krishna, Jitul Mehta and Sunil Uttam share what this milestone means for the federation and all that can be expected from the anniversary convention.
Srishti Mukherjee
The Travel Agents Federation of India is turning 40 this year and TAFI is headed to Rhodes, Greece for the 40th Anniversary convention from October 4 to October 7. The milestone comes at a moment when the travel trade industry is navigating a rapidly changing business landscape. With the theme, ‘Connecting Legacies – Crafting Futures’ for its anniversary convention, it aims to not just celebrate the four decades of the federation but focus on the questions that will shape its next chapter, from evolving travellers expectations and technology to new business opportunities and the changing role of travel agents. Ahead of the anniversary convention, the executive members of TAFI share what this 40th anniversary means for the federation, the key issues they believe will take centre stage in Greece and what they hope the convention will leave behind for its members and the wider travel industry.
A landmark convention
Anil Kalsi, Vice President, TAFI, believes that the 40th convention is a landmark convention for TAFI and our first in Europe. “Direct flights to Greece have increased interest in the destination and the destination is more accessible for Indian tourists. The number of Indian visitors have grown steadily since direct connectivity commenced. The focus will be on connecting legacies , learning from experiences and discussing methods towards crafting futures of the travel industry,” he states.
Hitank Shah, Joint National Secretary, TAFI, shares, “Marking 40 years as a leading institutional travel body, the convention acts as a bridge between TAFI’s rich history and its forward-looking vision for innovation and global collaboration.” He adds that choosing Rhodes, a destination relatively unfamiliar to the mainstream Indian market, reflects a strategic push by TAFI to move past conventional itineraries and pioneer brand-new, high-value outbound travel products.
He further says, “It highlights TAFI’s role not just as an association, but as a critical market-maker influencing where and how millions of Indians travel.”
He shares that the business sessions and panel forums during the convention will explicitly tackle the evolving landscape of global travel. “The core issues taking center stage are changing traveller preferences and navigating the demands of modern Indian outbound tourists who increasingly seek multiple annual holidays, independent online booking pathways, and non-crowded destinations, product diversification with developing specific blueprints to sell elite travel segments including destination weddings, luxury travel, niche leisure, and MICE programs. Another core issue that will be looked into would be technology and innovation and equipping agents with digital tools to streamline operations and compete effectively within a digital-first ecosystem.”
The central idea
Rai Achal Krishna, Treasurer, TAFI, adds, “Rhodes is both a celebration of four decades of collective achievement and a declaration of intent. It gives TAFI the opportunity to honour its legacy while setting an ambitious course for the next generation of travel agents. The agenda must address the commercial realities shaping our profession: fair remuneration, access to airline and hospitality inventory, technology adoption, regulatory complexity and the continuing value of expert advice. “Meaningful dialogue with industry partners will be central,” he added.
Jitul Mehta, Joint Secretary, TAFI, shares that taking the anniversary Convention to Rhodes for its celebration of 40 years is much more than a milestone celebration—it is an opportunity to look ahead and explore the next chapter for Indian travel. He shares, “Greece has tremendous potential beyond the well-known destinations of Athens, Santorini and Mykonos. We see growing interest among Indian travellers for experiential, premium and meaningful holidays, and Greece can offer this through its rich history, gastronomy, wellness, luxury, adventure and authentic local experiences. The Convention will allow our members to experience these opportunities firsthand and take them back to the Indian market.”
According to him, the travel business is evolving rapidly, and travel advisors must evolve with it. He believes that traditional destinations and business models are facing new challenges, making it important for advisors to identify new destinations, particularly within India and East Asia, while also understanding the opportunities and challenges created by AI. “Equally important is finding new and additional revenue streams beyond the traditional travel model. The future will belong to advisors who continuously learn, adapt and create greater value for their clients,” he adds.
Sunil Uttam, Joint Treasurer, TAFI, shares, “This milestone is a big deal because it helps Indian agents discover a new, beautiful destination to sell to Indian tourists who want to see more than just the usual parts of Greece. The meetings will focus on how the travel industry is changing. Over 400 Indian travel experts will talk about what modern travellers want, how to use new technology, eco-friendly travel, and building strong global partnerships,” Sunil says.
A lasting impact
This convention is believed to largely impact the key stakeholders. Anil Kalsi shares that all the travel professionals who experience the convention at this wonderful destination will become ambassadors of Greece for tourism promotion.
For Hitank Shah, the ultimate success of the convention relies on turning firsthand experiences into tangible commercial assets. He adds, “The expected impact includes:
- Expanding Regional Portfolios: By engaging directly with local stakeholders through B2B networking sessions, over 400 Indian delegates will gain the product knowledge required to aggressively promote Greece beyond traditional circuits like Athens or Mykonos.
- Sustained Business Bilaterals: TAFI is pursuing a proposed three-year Memorandum of Understanding with regional Greek authorities to lock in continuous destination education, joint promotions, and familiarization visits.
- Elevated Supplier Networks: Industry members will leave with direct, verified partnerships with Greek hoteliers, DMCs, and tourism boards, effectively bypassing intermediaries to structure more profitable itineraries.”
Hope for stronger partnerships
Meanwhile, Rai Achal Krishna hopes that members leave with stronger partnerships, practical opportunities and a renewed sense of purpose. He adds, “For the wider industry, Rhodes should reinforce travel agents’ place as indispensable partners in a more collaborative and sustainable travel ecosystem.”
Jitul Mehta further explains, “Our objective is to return from Rhodes with fresh energy, fresh ideas and fresh business opportunities. For many TAFI members, this will be an opportunity to experience European destinations first-hand, understand the product beyond brochures and build stronger destination knowledge. That firsthand experience will help advisors create better and more differentiated holidays for their clients. Ultimately, we want the Convention to translate into stronger expertise, new business opportunities and additional revenue for our members.”
Sunil Uttam concludes, “Many Islands of Greece are already extremely popular with Indian travellers, Bollywood, Mice etc. TAFI hopes this event will help agents create new vacation packages for luxury travel, weddings, and business events. The goal is to build a lasting friendship and strong business connection between India and Greece so that more tourists travel between the two countries.”
TAFI’s 40th anniversary convention that is expected to bring together more than 400 travel professionals in Rhodes is more than just a celebration of the federation seeks to provide a platform that can enable its members to exchange perspectives and strengthen industry partnerships.
