TravTalk India Online Magazine
The Tamil Nadu Travel Expo 2024 concluded successfully in Madurai, drawing a significant number of visitors from both domestic and international buyers. Held at IDA Scudder Auditorium, the unique event was a collaborative effort between the private sector and the government, aimed at promoting the state’s tourism potential.
Nisha Verma from Madurai
The first edition of Tamil Nadu Travel Expo (TTE) 2024 saw key organisations like the South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Travel Club Madurai joining hands to highlight Tamil Nadu’s rich religious and cultural heritage.
The event was held in Madurai, a departure from the usual host city of Chennai for such events, giving attendees an opportunity to explore the city’s hospitality and convention facilities. Renowned for the Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai provided a fitting setting to showcase Tamil Nadu’s tourism treasures. Commenting on the choice of venue, Venkatesan Dhattareyan, Regional Director – South, Indiatourism, said, “Madurai was chosen because it is the heartland of Tamil Nadu, easily accessible to various tourism attractions, and yet has not seen many large-scale events. This allowed us to offer a marketplace for sellers and buyers to explore business opportunities.”
Dhattareyan emphasised the importance of broadening the focus of Tamil Nadu’s tourism industry. “Traditionally, most traffic has been concentrated in the northern parts of the state, like Chennai, Mahabalipuram, and Kanchipuram. The idea behind this event was to bring suppliers from all over Tamil Nadu and introduce buyers to the lesser-known tourism destinations,” he said. He also highlighted the significance of private sector involvement in the expo. “This is purely a B2B event, and it’s exciting to see the private industry take responsibility for promoting the destination. The Tamil Nadu Travel Expo may be in its early stages, but it has the potential to grow into a platform like the Kerala Travel Mart (KTM),” he said.
Sundar Singharam, Director of Operations, SIHRA, reinforced Dhattareyan’s sentiment, stating that the TTE model is designed to be self-sustaining. “Of course, we have had great support from both the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Government of India, but we wanted this mart to stand on its own. The moment we proposed the idea to Travel Club members and other stakeholders, the response was overwhelming. Every slot was filled immediately, with over 200 rooms in Madurai promised for the event,” he said. The event also served as a platform to address Tamil Nadu’s declining position in India’s tourism rankings. “Tamil Nadu was organically number one in inbound and domestic arrivals, but we have slipped to third position,” said Singharam, adding that, “Other states have become aggressive in their promotions. This expo aims to reinvigorate our tourism marketing efforts.”
Vikram Cotah, Chief Executive Officer, GRT Hotels and Chairperson, CII Southern Council Tourism Panel, expressed similar view. “States like Kerala and Karnataka have been attracting a larger number of tourists because of their consistent marketing efforts. We wanted to bring TTE to Madurai, right in the heart of Tamil Nadu, so that tours could extend to other beautiful parts of the state.”
