Tanuja Pandey, Advisor and Senior Consultant, Maharashtra Tourism, speaks to BOTT about building the state’s Convention Bureau, shaping major tourism initiatives, her career milestones and the journeys that continue to inspire her.
Shreya Shimpi
Looking back on your journey so far, what inspired you to enter into this field and how has it shaped you as a professional?
I think I was meant to travel the world. It’s something I had wanted to do since I was a child. I trained to be a German interpreter because I wanted to see the world. When I was in JNU, I thought of joining the foreign services, which would set me on a path of exploring the world. But the civil services exams were too tough to crack. I was still looking for a way to travel, and as it turned out-travel found me!
One day there was a bus full of Germans who wanted to go to Agra, and their German-speaking guide did not turn up. The agency handling that particular conference asked me if I would like to go to Agra, and I would just have to engage a local guide and translate what the guide said. They said they would arrange a hotel for me, and I would also get a chance to see the Taj Mahal. I thought, ‘Okay, that sounds fun!” And that’s how I got into the travel industry-by accident, and a great one indeed! So, I started in 1994, and here we are in 2026. 30 years later, I am still travelling, still discovering and still loving it.
Reflecting on 2025, what were the 3 highlights personally or professionally?
Since I have spent three decades in the tourism sector – conferences, inbound, outbound MICE, events, and the experiential space, I felt I had seen it all. Since I had built considerable experience in this sector, I felt I was ready for a new challenge. That opportunity came when Maharashtra Tourism called me to help them set up the Convention Bureau. That became one of the biggest professional wins of my career. I helped them establish the bureau in just one year.
Before that, I was part of creating the new Incredible India website for the Ministry of Tourism, which was again a significant milestone for me, where I wrote around 350 articles and curated around 1400. The Incredible India website was launched on World Tourism Day, 27th September 2024, by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Also, my most significant personal milestone is MICE Online- India’s first platform designed to bring together the entire MICE ecosystem. This project won two awards consecutively from Economic Times in 2023 & 2024.
What is your dream destination for 2026?
I want to visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia this year.
Could you tell us a bit more about your family and a cherished childhood memory that still makes you smile?
My daughter lives in the UK; she’s 25 years old, and my niece, who is like my elder daughter, is 29. My parents are in Pune. I am now based in Mumbai but move between Gurgaon and Pune on weekends.
A cherished childhood memory is that I was a tomboy and grew up riding bikes with an adventurous streak, having a huge gang of friends who are still with my little sister and me – they are my lifelines.
QUICK SHOTS
- Birth date and Sun Sign – August 5, Leo
- Mountains or Beaches? – Both
- Favourite holiday Destination – Konkan and Paris
- Best travel hack – I always have one small folded cabin bag baggage suitcase packed with the basic things.
- Window seat or aisle – Window seat
- Favourite cuisine- Pan-Asian.
- Advice to the first-time travel – Respect the country that you’re travelling to, read about their culture, and be a responsible traveller
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