AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s tourism and travel trade is entering the second half of 2026 with stronger business activity, after a major industry gathering in Gandhinagar recorded a 10% rise in trade visitors from its previous edition. The three-day event brought together tourism boards, hotels, airlines, travel companies and destination operators, offering an early indication of demand ahead of the festive and winter travel period.
Held from August 6 to 8 at the Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre, the travel trade event attracted more than 16,500 visitors and featured over 900 exhibitors representing 27 Indian states and Union territories along with 10 countries. The participation points to the growing role of Ahmedabad and the wider Gujarat market as a gateway for both domestic and international travel. Gujarat’s relatively strong economic base, expanding air connectivity and large pool of outbound travellers have helped create a sizeable market for destinations, accommodation providers and travel intermediaries.International participation included destinations from Asia, the Middle East and other global markets, reflecting continued interest in Indian travellers with overseas destinations.
At the same time, participation from tourism boards across India underlined the importance of Western India for domestic travel demand. For the local economy, the significance extends beyond ticket sales and hotel bookings. Tourism supports a wider network of transport operators, restaurants, retail businesses, attractions, event venues and local service providers. Stronger travel demand can therefore create economic opportunities across several urban and regional sectors. The increase in trade participation also comes at a useful point in the annual travel cycle. The festive months are traditionally important for leisure and family travel, followed by increased movement during the winter season. Travel companies are likely to use this period to convert business-to-business meetings into bookings, packages and destination partnerships. Ahmedabad’s position as a travel-trade centre could also influence how tourism infrastructure develops around the city. Rising visitor activity creates demand for reliable public transport, airport access, pedestrian-friendly tourism districts and well-managed public spaces. Sustainable growth will increasingly depend on whether tourism expansion can be supported without adding disproportionate pressure on urban resources.
The event’s scale also highlights a changing travel market in which consumers are looking beyond conventional holiday destinations. Domestic tourism remains an important growth area, while international operators continue to compete for Indian travellers seeking new experiences and better-value packages. The visitor increase is encouraging, but it is not by itself a measure of future bookings or tourist arrivals. The more meaningful indicator will be whether the business generated at the event translates into sustained travel demand during the coming festive and winter months. For Ahmedabad and Gujarat, that conversion could strengthen the city’s role as a commercial meeting point for India’s increasingly diverse tourism economy.
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