Shreya Shimpi
Abbas Moiz
President, TAFI
The new age of Travel
In 2026, the travel business continued to evolve. The market is no longer driven only by passenger volumes; travellers now expect higher-quality, more relevant and personalised experiences. Interest in experiential and interest-led travel is rising as travellers move beyond conventional itineraries, with demand growing for curated journeys, smaller groups, wellness, luxury, cruises, adventure, culture and immersive local experiences.
Families and younger travellers are increasingly willing to spend more on meaningful experiences rather than simply visiting more destinations. For travel advisors, this means moving beyond ticketing and itinerary execution to becoming curators and consultants, combining destinations, experiences, technology, payments, insurance and other services into a fuller customer proposition.
Despite challenges since March 2026, initiatives by international tourism boards have helped restore confidence among travellers and travel advisors. The year has also reinforced the importance of stronger partnerships, differentiated products and technology and AI as tools that help advisors work more efficiently and stay relevant. The shift is clear: as travellers become more sophisticated, the travel trade must evolve just as quickly.
Rhodes 2026: Celebrating TAFI’s legacy
The desire to explore the unexplored remains at the heart of tourism. Today’s well-informed Indian traveller increasingly seeks experiences that go beyond crowded icons—meeting people, understanding local cultures and experiencing genuine hospitality.
This philosophy played an important role in our decision to celebrate TAFI’s 40th anniversary in Rhodes. IndiGo’s direct connection from India to Athens was an important development in making Greece more accessible, but we also wanted to showcase something beyond an already popular destination.
TAFI has always believed in opening new destinations and opportunities for the Indian travel trade. Rhodes offered history, culture, natural beauty, hospitality and strong tourism infrastructure, while also presenting a different side of Greece. The South Aegean region itself offers enormous possibilities, with 47 islands. While Santorini and Mykonos are already well known in India, many others are still waiting to be discovered.
One of our key objectives in taking the TAFI community to Rhodes is to build greater awareness of these lesser-known destinations among Indian travel advisors. We hope members return not simply having visited Greece, but having discovered new stories, experiences and possibilities they can take back to the Indian traveller.
For TAFI, celebrating 40 years in Rhodes is therefore more than a celebration of the past; it is about continuing our tradition of opening new doors for the Indian travel trade.
Ajay Prakash
Immediate Past President, TAFI; Chief Executive at Nomad Travels
Reinventing travel in a changing world
The geopolitical situation and the ongoing wars, coupled with high airfares, have impacted overall travel sentiment, leading to a softening of demand. Inbound numbers are stagnating, but outbound continues to grow – albeit at a slower rate. Indian travellers are looking beyond the regular, traditional destinations and experiences, and the challenge is to keep reinventing your product portfolio.
Discovering Rhodes
Greece has now begun to appear on the itineraries for Indian travellers, but Rhodes is still relatively unknown. TAFI often organises its Conventions in unconventional places – Ninh Binh, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu are some examples. All of them have seen a significant increase in the number of Indian tourists. The 2026 Convention opens yet another door to a fascinating destination, offering first-hand experience of new and unexplored options. So yes, I am positive that Indian travellers will soon discover the lesser-known destinations in Greece.
Anil Kalsi
Vice President, TAFI
The changing business of travel
Travel business in 2026 has been fair and consistent. Travellers have been booking closer to travel dates. Due to the uncertainties in the world, countries with no visa for Indians or easy E-Visas have gained traction considerably, as early planning takes a back seat. Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Korea and Australia have been the preferred destinations. Most travel companies like ours have expanded their business to multiple verticals such as ticketing, hotels, cruises, visas, MICE, etc., as competition becomes fierce and information provided is compared online.
Opening new Vistas
This is a landmark convention for TAFI and, notably, the first TAFI Convention to be held in Europe. With direct flights to Greece, interest in the destination has grown significantly, accompanied by a steady increase in tourist arrivals. The TAFI Convention, with more than 400 delegates participating, presents a valuable opportunity to further strengthen this momentum. Every delegate who experiences Greece first-hand has the potential to become an ambassador for the destination, sharing their experiences and insights with their clients and travel networks. The hands-on exposure gained during the convention can therefore play an important role in generating greater awareness and interest in Greece among Indian travellers.
Beyond the well-known destinations, Greece offers a wealth of possibilities—from beautiful islands and unique experiences to diverse cruise itineraries and opportunities for exploration. The B2B sessions will allow delegates to discover these offerings, connect with local partners and establish new business relationships.
Sameer Kulkarni
Chairman – TAFI Pune Chapter – MH (India); Director | Hollyhock Travels
A stronger collective voice for a dynamic travel industry
TAFI provides a common platform that brings together travel agents and tour operators while representing the interests of its members before government bodies, airlines and tourism authorities. Through its affiliations with global networks such as the WTAAA, as well as chapter meetings, conventions and stakeholder showcase, TAFI continues to strengthen connections across the travel industry. The association also provides a unified voice on key industry issues, including changing airline connectivity, geopolitical disruptions affecting flights and evolving consumer expectations around cancellations. At the same time, TAFI is encouraging digitisation, the adoption of modern technology and high service standards across its membership of more than 1,700 travel professionals.
Experience. Connect. Create.
For us, conventions such as these are also an opportunity to discover new destinations through first-hand experience. Visiting Rhodes and experiencing its attractions, hospitality and tourism infrastructure will give us valuable insights that we can use to develop new and relevant products for our customers.
The opportunity to meet Greek travel agents, tourism stakeholders and local partners will further help us build meaningful relationships and understand the destination from a business perspective. After experiencing Rhodes first-hand, we look forward to creating new travel products and introducing our customers to this fascinating destination.
Rai Achal Krishna
Treasurer, TAFI National Managing Committee
Smarter travel, deeper experiences, greater personalisation
2026 has reinforced that Indian outbound travel is becoming more mature and experience-led. From TAFI’s perspective, our members are seeing travellers ask for greater personalisation, better value and destinations beyond the conventional circuit. There is also growing opportunity for travel agents who can combine technology with knowledge, trusted advice and strong supplier partnerships.
Beyond Athens and Santorini
I believe the next phase of Indian outbound growth will increasingly favour destinations that offer a compelling experience without being over-exposed. Greece has enormous potential in this respect. Beyond Athens, Mykonos and Santorini, destinations such as Rhodes and the Dodecanese offer history, culture, gastronomy and exceptional coastlines. Bringing TAFI’s 40th-year Convention to Rhodes is therefore particularly meaningful. When hundreds of Indian travel professionals experience a destination themselves, they return not merely as visitors, but with the knowledge and confidence to create and sell new itineraries. That can be a powerful catalyst for Greece in India.
Burhan Misgar
Chapter Chairman – TAFI Jammu & Kashmir Chapter; Proprietor – Misgar Tours and Travels
A year of value-conscious, experience-led travel
2026 has been a year of both challenges and opportunities. Traveller behaviour has changed, with clients becoming more value-conscious while still looking for better experiences, personalised itineraries and reliable service. We have seen good interest in experiential and leisure travel, particularly Kashmir & Ladakh. We have also focused more on customised packages, premium stays and end-to-end travel solutions rather than just selling standard packages.
The new drivers of Indian Outbound Travel
I believe experiential travel, luxury, wellness, adventure and lesser-explored destinations will see strong growth among Indian travellers. Travellers are increasingly looking beyond the usual tourist circuits and want something more personal and authentic. Greece has tremendous potential in this space. Beyond Athens and Santorini, destinations such as Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and the smaller islands can offer a different experience. With better awareness, connectivity and focused promotion, I see Greece becoming an even stronger choice for Indian travellers.
Madhuri Erach Kanga
Partner – Ahura Travels
AI meets experience
2026 has been a strong but more demanding year. After 50-plus years in the travel trade, I see travellers who are better researched and more value-conscious, yet still willing to spend on experiences. Demand has shifted towards longer, customised itineraries, multigenerational family trips and repeat travellers seeking less crowded places. We also saw growth in our business through technology. We have started implementing AI for many interdepartmental tasks and are actively exploring how to grow our business with AI and technology. Trusted partners have mattered more than ever.
Greece beyond the Postcard
Greece is well placed. Indians already love Santorini and Mykonos, but the real potential lies beyond them: Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and Naxos where history, food and beaches come together. Island-hopping and cruises suit Indian families, and slow travel is catching on. I would also watch Central Asia, the Balkans and Japan. TAFI’s glorious 40th year in Rhodes is a good chance to showcase to the travel agents what lies beyond the postcard. Having been the voice for the family of travel companies through every high, crisis and reinvention, I am proud to have been part of this journey.
Vipul Shah
Managing Partner, Visa Consultancy Services
Changing travel patterns
2026 has been a challenging year for our business. Traveller demand has softened, largely due to the war in Iran, which has pushed up airfares and created concerns about travellers getting stranded. We have seen greater preference for destinations such as Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea, while demand for the UK and USA has remained steady. Interestingly, corporate incentive groups to Europe have remained steady, indicating continued confidence in Europe for organised business travel and group movements. Overall, however, the impact on business volumes and profitability has led us to take a cautious approach, and we have not added any new destinations, products, partnerships, or customer segments this year.
Growing appeal of Greece
Greece remains a firm favourite with Indian travellers, with many Turkey-bound clients also keen to combine their trip with Greece. We recently handled a large wedding group to Greece, highlighting the destination’s growing appeal for Indian celebrations and group travel. Beyond Athens–Santorini–Mykonos, we see strong potential in destinations such as Tinos, Naxos, Milos, the Peloponnese and Pelion, particularly as repeat travellers seek more authentic experiences. However, visa processing remains a concern. Long processing timelines, refusals despite complete documentation, and instances of applicants with previous Schengen visas being granted short-validity, single-entry visas can be discouraging.
Hutokshi Marker
Chief Operating Officer, Trail Blazer Tours
Visa challenges and geopolitical uncertainty test Outbound Travel
2026 has continued to be a roller coaster, with lulls and spurts in business creating a sense of instability and uncertainty. The impact of the ongoing geopolitical turmoil has been significant, with revenue affected by cancellations of lengthy, well-planned individual and small-group itineraries. Reduction in TCS has supported growth in both family and leisure travel, across domestic and international markets. Increased capacity to Europe has, meanwhile, faced challenges due to unfavourable weather conditions and high airfares.
We are offering “Experience-led itineraries”. Travellers are moving away from rushed sightseeing programmes towards slower, more customised exploration. Wellness retreats, music festivals, live shows, adventure experiences and nature trails are increasingly becoming part of the holiday conversation. Another major factor influencing destination selection today is visas. Increasingly, visas are dictating where travellers choose to go. Destination education is therefore becoming increasingly important for both promotion and business growth.
Unlocking Greece’s untapped potential
Greece is a destination we believe holds tremendous potential, with its diverse and beautiful islands offering much more than the traditional itinerary. With greater awareness and education among the trade, we are confident that Greece will attract more Indian travellers.
Hitank Shah
National General Secretary, TAFI
A breakthrough year for premium experiential travel
2026 has been an extraordinary milestone year of robust growth, characterised by a phenomenal surge in high-value experiential travel and sophisticated multi-generational journeys. Capturing this dynamic momentum, we have aggressively expanded our portfolio, introducing bespoke wellness retreats, off-the-beaten-path European circuits, and exclusive airline partnerships to seamlessly cater to India’s burgeoning premium leisure segment.
Beyond Santorini: Greece’s emerging appeal
As TAFI celebrates its landmark 40th Anniversary Convention in spectacular Rhodes, the horizon for Indian outbound tourism looks incredibly bright. We are witnessing a magnificent paradigm shift as discerning Indian travellers venture beyond traditional hotspots to embrace Greece’s lesser-explored treasures like Crete, Paros, and Naxos. Moving forward, we see immense potential in sustainable luxury, customised adventure itineraries, and emerging visa-friendly destinations.
Jay Kantawala
Chapter Chairman-TAFI Western India Chapter; Partner – V P Travels Mumbai
Personalisation and experience drive travel in 2026
2026 has been an encouraging year, with travellers increasingly looking for experiential, personalised and value-driven holidays rather than conventional sightseeing. We have seen strong interest in Europe, the Mediterranean and emerging destinations, along with growing demand for bespoke family, luxury and special-interest travel. Our key focus has been on strengthening destination partnerships and creating more customised experiences for our clients.
Unlocking Greece
The year ahead will see continued growth in experiential luxury, slow travel, wellness, cruises and offbeat destinations. Greece has tremendous potential beyond Athens and Santorini. Destinations such as Rhodes, Crete, Corfu and the lesser-explored Greek islands can offer Indian travellers authentic experiences, rich history, beautiful landscapes and excellent hospitality. I believe Greece will increasingly become a year-round destination for the Indian market.
Kalpana Sawlani
Committee Member – TAFI Western India Chapter; Managing Director, Bombino Travels & Tours
Resilience amid uncertainty
2026 has been a year of strategic recalibration and new opportunity. Evolving traveller expectations, geopolitical uncertainty and heightened safety considerations are shaping purchasing decisions. Demand remains resilient, but travellers are now assessing security, connectivity, insurance, cancellation flexibility and overall value—not price alone—before committing. This is creating a clear advantage for agencies that offer expert guidance, proactive risk management and seamless end-to-end support. We are seeing particularly strong demand for curated luxury, experiential, multigenerational and cultural travel, especially to destinations perceived as safe, stable and less crowded. In response, we have deepened destination partnerships, expanded local expertise and strengthened our customised itinerary capabilities.
Greece poised to capture India’s next travel wave
As TAFI celebrates its 40th anniversary in Rhodes, Indian outbound travel is poised for strong growth across experiential luxury, cultural immersion, slow travel and emerging destinations. Greece is exceptionally well positioned to benefit from this momentum, provided its proposition extends beyond Athens and Santorini. Lesser-explored islands and mainland regions can unlock new demand, encourage longer stays, support year-round travel and promote more sustainable tourism. With improved connectivity, focused destination marketing and stronger trade partnerships, Greece can secure a larger and more diversified share of India’s increasingly sophisticated outbound market.
Satbir Singh Narula
Treasurer-TAFI Western India Chapter; Director, Pyramid Travel Management Company
The rise of Asia’s emerging destinations
2026 has been a challenging year, with the global geopolitical situation and rising fuel prices making travel to the West considerably more expensive. At the same time, this has created opportunities to broaden our focus towards newer and more accessible destinations such as Kazakhstan and Georgia, while strengthening our focus on Asia. We have also been able to leverage new direct flight connectivity to destinations such as Greece, making them more attractive and accessible to Indian travellers. We are seeing travellers increasingly look for value, experiences and destinations beyond the traditional circuits.
Greece beyond the classics
We see strong potential in emerging destinations across Asia and Central Asia, along with lesser-explored European destinations. We have also been able to leverage new direct flight connectivity to destinations such as Greece, making them more attractive and accessible to Indian travellers. We are seeing travellers increasingly look for value, experiences and destinations beyond the traditional circuits. Greece, in particular, has an opportunity to grow significantly in the Indian market, with improved connectivity and the potential to promote destinations beyond the established Athens–Santorini circuit.
Arun Iyer
Secretary – TAFI Western India Chapter
Experiential travel takes off
2026 has been a year of both opportunities and challenges for us. Geopolitical uncertainties and rising airfares have certainly affected the mid-luxury segment, with travellers becoming more conscious of overall costs. At the same time, I find that the super-luxury segment continues to remain resilient, with clients still willing to spend on unique, personalised experiences.
Golf tourism has been particularly encouraging for us. We are seeing a growing number of international golfers choosing India for premium golf holidays, combining excellent golf courses with luxury hotels, Indian culture and leisure experiences. Wellness, senior travel and other special-interest holidays are also gaining momentum. For Indian outbound travellers, I see strong opportunities in experiential travel, luxury, wellness, golf, cruises and gastronomy.
Rhodes and beyond
Greece, in particular, has tremendous potential beyond Athens and Santorini. Rhodes, Crete, Corfu, Thessaloniki and the Peloponnese can offer Indian travellers something different. I believe the TAFI 40th Anniversary Convention in Rhodes will be a wonderful opportunity to strengthen India–Greece tourism ties and discover new possibilities together.
Paulose K Mathew
National Managing Committee Member (TAFI); Ex-Chairman TAFI – Kerala; Coraz Travel & Trade Links
Evolving Indian Outbound Travel
2026 has been a year of strong growth and strategic pivot. Demand among Indian outbound travellers has sharply shifted from standard sightseeing to experiential, immersive itineraries. To meet this evolution, we have expanded our portfolio with niche experiential packages, direct DMC collaborations across Europe, and tailored segments focusing on premium leisure And Multi-generational family travel.
The Greece opportunity
TAFI’s 40th Anniversary Convention in Rhodes marks a historic milestone, bringing over 400 Indian tour operators to Europe for the first major Indian tourism convention on the continent. This mega-delegation underscores the immense outbound potential India holds.
Looking ahead, heritage-rich, offbeat Mediterranean destinations will drive high demand. Greece, beyond classic spots like Athens and Santorini, hold massive potential. Islands like Rhodes, Crete, and the Peloponnese offer the perfect blend of history, culture, and coastal luxury that Indian travellers increasingly seek. This convention will undoubtedly unlock strong, multi-season traction for Greece across India.
Jitul Mehta
National Joint Secretary, TAFI; Managing Partner -VP Travels (Mumbai)
Travel industry outlook
The year 2026 has started on a challenging note for the global travel industry. The outbreak of war in February, coupled with airspace restrictions and rising crude oil prices, has increased travel costs and impacted consumer sentiment. As a result, Indian travellers have increasingly looked towards Asian and domestic destinations. Japan, in particular, has performed exceptionally well this year. At our end, we have focused on adapting to changing market needs. We have added several corporate clients by providing customised travel solutions and have also invested in technology to simplify processes and improve efficiency.
New Greek horizons for the Indian travel trade
As TAFI celebrates its 40th anniversary in Rhodes, it is an ideal opportunity to showcase the wider potential of Greece to Indian travellers. Going forward, I see strong demand for experiential, premium and meaningful travel. Beyond Athens, Santorini and Mykonos, lesser-explored Greek destinations can offer history, gastronomy, wellness, luxury, adventure and authentic local experiences, creating exciting opportunities for the Indian travel trade.
Sunil Uttam.
Joint Treasurer, TAFI National Managing Committee
Global disruptions to new travel routes
In 2026, geopolitical tensions in West Asia heavily disrupted global flight paths, forcing Indian travel agencies to rapidly pivot. Volatile long-haul flight costs and route cancellations caused outbound demand to shift toward safer, short-haul destinations. Agencies capitalizing on simplified entry, visa-free access, or visa-on-arrival across Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East have seen major booking spikes and protected revenue margins; even Indian travel agents started pushing more & more Indian short haul destinations.
Discovering Greece beyond the icons
As TAFI celebrates its 40th anniversary in Rhodes, Greece has emerged as a high-yield growth catalyst for Indian travel agencies. As TAFI’s Joint Treasurer and a core convention committee member, I can vouch for the immense collaborative groundwork laid by both sides. Having 450 elite TAFI travel advisors personally experience Rhodes and its hidden regions will undoubtedly multiply Indian tourism to Greece manifold.
This milestone convention unlocks highly lucrative B2B avenues, empowering agents to design high-margin, immersive itineraries. By showcasing Greece’s authentic culinary tours, deep cultural heritage, and scenic hiking terrain beyond traditional hotspots, Indian agencies are perfectly positioned to capture premium consumer spend and drive robust, year-round profitability.
Charu Arora
Managing Committee Member – TAFI Northern India Chapter; Director-YTS TRAVEL SERVICE
2026 has seen changes in trends in terms of travel and hospitality, with the market evolving and adapting itself to the events happening in the world around us. Clients have shifted to more luxury/premium hotel segments and destinations with direct flights, choosing convenience above all. Convenience has become a key consideration, with direct flight options playing an increasingly important role in destination selection. Against this backdrop, Greece stands out as a destination that brings together the best of everything discerning Indian travellers are looking for.
From its rich heritage and iconic archaeological sites to its celebrated culinary scene, pristine and lesser-explored islands, vibrant nightlife and ultra-luxurious hotels and resorts, Greece offers an exceptionally diverse holiday experience. Adding to its appeal is direct flight connectivity to Athens, making the destination more accessible and convenient for Indian travellers. Whether it is a luxurious island escape, an immersive cultural journey, a gastronomic experience or a vibrant celebration, Greece brings together luxury, culture and convenience in one destination. For the discerning Indian traveller, it is a compelling combination—and one that continues to make Greece a standout choice for 2026.
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