Shreya Shimpi
The third edition of Mélange concluded successfully at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, bringing to a close two days of business, conversations, networking and engagement across the travel and hospitality industry. Senior dignitaries from the travel trade and industry leaders graced the opening day with their presence, adding to the event’s significance and international character. Over the two days, more than 80,000 meaningful exhibitor–buyer connections were registered through the Mélange system.
Pradeep Saboo, Co-Founder at MTF Events, said, “Mélange 2026 is our biggest edition yet, bringing together over 400 brands and thousands of approved registered buyers from all across the country. In January 2027, we shall be hosting a four-city roadshow across Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Chennai and Kolkata. We shall be back with the fourth edition of Mélange next year on a beautiful date and an equally beautiful venue.”
One of the strongest takeaways from Day One was not just the number of visitors, but the quality and duration of engagement on the floor. Another encouraging aspect of Mélange 2026 was the breadth and diversity of the exhibitor mix. Alongside established names from across the travel and tourism industry, a strong new generation of companies participated this year, bringing fresh ideas, newer products and different perspectives to the floor. It was particularly heartening to see multiple first-time participants becoming a part of the Mélange family, adding new energy to the event while broadening the range of opportunities available to buyers. The energy on the show floor was palpable. Conversations, meetings and networking kept the energy and momentum of the show going.
Sameer Karnani, Co-Founder at MTF Events, remarked, “We are thrilled by the phenomenal response for Mélange 2026 with an incredible number of buyers and 400-plus exhibitors coming together and making it a successful and memorable edition.”
Rajat Bagaria, Co-Founder, MTF Events remarked, “We have received a good number of footfalls, and our hosted buyer numbers have gone up. We have brought in a few changes this year with differently designed exhibitor booths and introduced LED TVs. We have used state-of-the-art facilities to ensure that the exhibitors and buyers get more value than what they have given. Our satisfaction lies in them being happy, having a good business and becoming successful in their trade.”
Mélange continues to retain its carefully controlled format, with emphasis on relevant buyers, meaningful meetings and a strong B2B environment. Registrations and carefully vetted profiles ensured the quality of exhibitors and visitors alike. Melange served as a valuable platform for forming new connections, strengthening partnerships, meeting friends from the trade and spending time within the venue without the pressure of an overcrowded exhibition floor.
Sharing his experience as an exhibitor, Pranav Kapadia, Founder & Director, Global Destinations, said,” It gets better every year, and this is our third year exhibiting at Melange. It’s brilliant in terms of what the committee has put together, and we have been ‘quality’ busy since morning. What we love about the show is that the trade partners are carefully filtered and we get to spend quality time with our trade partner – which is exactly what we want to achieve.”
The second evening also marked a special conclusion to Mélange 2026 as the industry came together for the Mélange Awards on World Tourism Day, 27 September. The Awards recognised organisations and individuals whose work, leadership and contributions have created a significant impact on the travel and tourism industry. Mélange 2027 will be held on 26 & 27 August 2027 at Hall VI, NESCO, Mumbai. The two days included lighter engagement through networking, entertainment, gifts and prizes for participants — adding a fun element to the experience without taking away from the event’s business focus.
This landmark event set the stage for an even bigger future for the platform with its growing participation, meaningful collaboration opportunities and strong business focus. As the industry looks ahead, Mélange 2027 promises to build on this momentum with renewed energy, collaboration and opportunity.
Mélange Awards 2026
The as the industry came together for the Mélange Awards on World Tourism Day, 27 September second evening also marked a special conclusion to Mélange 2026 making it a special conclusion to Mélange 2026.The Awards recognised organisations and individuals whose work, leadership and contribution have made an impact on the travel and tourism industry.
A distinguished panel of judges gave their time and experience to the evaluation process.
- Mr. Dev Karvat – Founder & CEO, Asego
- Mr. Dinesh Bhatter – Managing Director, Neptune Holidays
- Mr. Hemant Mediratta – Founder & Group CEO, HMC
- Ms. Nalini Gupta – Managing Director, Lotus Destination & ClickMyCruise
- Mr. Nishant Kashikar – Country Manager – India & Gulf, Tourism Australia
- Mr. Pranav Kapadia – Founder & Managing Director, Global Destination
- Mr. Sunil Kumar Rumalla – President, TAAI – UFTAA
Mélange Awards 2026 – Jury Awards
- Sustainable Tourism Initiative Award : RARE India, founded by Shoba Rudra
- Technology Upgrade for Trade Award : Veena World
- Lifetime Achievement Award : Mr. Subhash Goyal, Founder & Chairman, STIC Travel Group
- Female Achiever Award : Ms. Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing
- Young Achiever Award : Mr. Hari Ganapathy, CEO & Co-Founder, Pickyourtrail
Mélange Awards 2026 – Popular Choice Awards
The industry’s popular vote recognised:
- Most Agent Friendly Airline – Domestic : IndiGo
- Most Agent Friendly Airline – International : Emirates
- Most Popular Hotel Chain – MICE : Marriott International
- Most Popular Hotel Chain – Leisure : Taj Group
- Most Agent Friendly Cruise Brand : Royal Caribbean International
- Most Popular Tour Operator : Thomas Cook (SOTC)
- Most Popular Destination – International : Switzerland
- Most Popular Destination – Domestic : Kerala
The Awards brought Mélange 2026 to a fitting close on World Tourism Day, celebrating not just outstanding organisations and individuals, but the wider travel industry that continues to evolve, innovate, and create new opportunities. It was a fitting finale to an edition defined by collaboration, connection, and the spirit of moving the industry forward.
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