ADVISORY GROUP

Sanjoy K. Roy

President at Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA)

Sanjoy K. Roy has received the National Award for Excellence and Best Director for his film. He is co-chair of Art and Culture Committee of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), President of Event & Entertainment Management Association (EEMA), and the Founder Trustee of Salaam Baalak Trust (SBT) that provides support services for street and working children in Delhi.

Mahendra Vakharia

President at Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI)

Mahendra Vakharia has a vast experience of more than 25 years in the hotel & travel industry and possesses immense first hand knowledge gathered from travelling different countries. This helps him guide clients to experience the destinations differently. He started Pathfinders Holidays along with his wife Maitreyee. Pathfinders Holidays is a specialist company in arranging customised and handcrafted holiday trips around the world.

Sudhir Patil

President at Maharashtra Tour Organisers’ Association (MTOA)

Sudhir Patil has been in the industry for 25 years. His relationship with airlines, hotels and financial institutions is exemplary. In his illustrious career, he introduced many allied business services like visa, insurance and foreign exchange. He is the President of the Maharashtra Tour Operators’ Association (MTOA) since last 3 years, and his experience, knowledge and charisma are guiding Veena World to great success.

Sunil Kumar R

President, Travel Agents Association Of India (TAAI)

Sunil founded Travel World in Hyderabad about 30 years back. Currently it has over 52 agencies in India and 22 agencies beyond India, connected. His stint with the TAAI Managing Committee started in 1999 and he has been uninterruptedly and continuously served on the TAAI Managing Committee till date. Sunil’s contribution to strengthening UFTAA (United Federation of Travel Agents Associations) has been immense.

Jagat Mehta

President at Enterprising Travel Agent’s Association (ETAA)

Jagat Mehta is the national President of ETAA (Enterprising Travel Agents Association) since 2014 which has over 800 travel agents/tour operators as members. He is majorly responsible for doubling the membership in the past 4 years. Trans Travel International specialised in customised packages for more than 30 years and is now a one stop shop for all travel solutions for corporates and individuals.

Biji Eapen

President at IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI)

Biji Eapen brings over 40 years of aviation experience. Currently the National President of IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI), he also works closely with other travel, tourism and aviation organisations and global partners to set curriculum and consultancy services. Eapen was specially trained by SITA, London in network systems, HDQ Control and Network Reservations.

Dr. Jaydeep Mehta

President at Event Managment Federation (EMF)

Dr. Jaydeep Mehta, a paramount name in the events fraternity, heads True Innovation, a 20 year old technology driven premium entertainment and event company of India. True Innovation has successfully curated more than 1,000 momentous experiences for corporates, institutions, social events and CSR activities. The clientele ranges from reputed large conglomerates and MNCs in multiple sectors.

PP Khanna

President at Association of Domestic Tour Operators Of India (ADTOI)

PP Khanna is President for the second term at Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, Member of CII: National Committee of Tourism & Hospitality, Member of FICCI Tourism Committee, North and Board of Director at Federation of Associations in India Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH). Diplomatic Travel Point is recognised by Ministry of Tourism, GOI and affiliated with TAAI/TAFI/ ADTOI/OTOAI etc.

Vishwanath Upadhyay

President at Vidharbha Tourism Association (VTA)

Currently, serving as the Honorary Director at Nomads Holidays, Vishwanath Upadhyay believes the tourism industry can reach its zenith if technology is given more prominence. Technology can increase the volume of business for travel agents/tour operators and can help travellers as well. With a vision of opening a Nomads Holidays Office globally, he says he is taking calculative strides in this huge market.

Rajeev Kohli

President 16 & 17, Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE)

Rajeev was the first Asian to take the leadership position of global President of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) completing two terms in 2016 & 2017. He is the past Senior Vice President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), India’s apex body for the incoming tourism industry Rajeev has been the Vice Chairman of the India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) and past President of the India Chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents.

Rajiv Duggal

Director at Travel Specialist LLP

Rajiv has 27 years of experience working in key management positions across the tourism & service industry in India. Some of the companies he has held governing roles range from Hotels, Travel Companies, Retail Facility Management, Infrastructure Development to finally launching a Cruise Company to bring in India’s first Cruise Liner in 2019. He is honoured with many awards including the 2013 Best Marketing Person in Tourism Award from Sec. General of UNWTO at ITB Berlin.

Arif Patel

Vice President Sales, Marketing, Distribution & Loyalty at AccorHotels

Arif Patel has over two decades of experience in hotels of repute, a proven track record of streamlining operations, and strategic sales and marketing. He handles sales and marketing oversight for all current and upcoming hotels given AccorHotels’ growing development pipeline, revenue and distribution management, owner relationships and award winning guest loyalty programme – Le Club AccorHotels.

Gajesh Girdhar

National Coordinator at Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA)

Gajesh Girdhar is an established tour operator having experience of over two decades. The first one to start promoting outbound holidays in Muzaffarnagar, he co-founded the Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA) in 2014. NIMA is the only Not-For-Profit trade forum in India that works for the betterment of the Indian MICE industry to bring MICE operators in Tier II and Tier III cities to the mainstream.

Parthip Thyagarajan

CEO of WeddingSutra

With over 22 years of experience in digital media, Thyagarajan is a highly sought-after speaker and strategist in the Destination Weddings & Luxury Events domain. A commerce graduate from the Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics, and an MBA from the Management Development Institute (MDI), Thyagarajan began his career with The Times of India group and worked there for 4 years after which he co-founded WeddingSutra.

Tadesse Tilahun

Regional Director India Sub Continent at Ethiopian Airlines

Tadesse Tilahun has handled several portfolios in various departments from Flight Operations, Schedules, Charter/Lease, Commercial Planning, Revenue Management and completed several trainings and courses from Boeing and IATA. His rich and varied experience in all these fields is of great advantage to Ethiopian Airlines’ clientele as well as the airline’s professional fraternity in the country.

Karlygash Omurbayeva

Regional General Manager at Air Astana

Karlygash Omurbayeva specialises in efficient operations in difficult markets and has managed to improve B2B and B2C communication and deliver excellent sales results. She holds an MBA degree from Ankara University, Turkey. As Regional Manager Gulf, the routes in the region moved from a poor to good performance, following which she moved to India in 2017 to tackle the challenges there.

Harsh Arora

Senior Manager HR & ADMIN at H & R Johnson (India) – A Division of Prism Cement Limited

Harsha Arora has a diversified background in HR & administration learning and development, skill training and employee engagement. With 20+ years of industry experience in staff management, training (Process, V&A), HR record management, HR policies development including Administration, Arora has a successful track record in developing employee engagement programmes, organising team-building activities along with creation and review of corporate policies, job descriptions & management reports.

Luis Cabello

Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Peru in India

In his 35 years career, Luis Cabello has an extensive experience in Exports of Peruvian handicrafts, sourcing agents for companies based out of USA, Consultant (International Trade) at the Exports and Tourism Promotion Commission of Peru (PROMPERU). He was also a member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee for Entrepreneurship at the Saint Ignatius of Loyola University in Lima, Peru.

Nishant Kashikar

Country Manager – India & Gulf at Tourism Australia

Nishant is Tourism Australia’s Country Manager in India & the Gulf countries, since June 2010, and is primarily responsible for all consumer and partnership marketing activities for the promotion of Australian tourism products in India. With over 14 years of experience in the tourism industry, Nishant works closely with all tourism stakeholders, towards building Australia’s attractiveness, and contributing to the growth in tourism into Australia.

Vishal Bhatia

Country Manager, India at VisitBritain

Vishal Bhatia, a veteran of the travel trade industry with a career spanning almost two decades, has an extensive market knowledge and expertise of the local travel landscape. Working with Visit Britain since 2013, Vishal has been integral in delivering the India strategy, while leading on all B2B activities in market and working with senior stakeholders across government in the UK.

Jurgen Bailom

President and CEO – Cruise Tourism Business of Zen Cruises Pvt. Ltd, an entity of Essel Group.

Jurgen is an Operationally-Oriented Executive and Business Development Innovator with bottom-line focus. His skills lie in mobilizing and garnering support from diverse stakeholders to build world-class organizations and human capital that consistently delivers high levels of success and profitability. He comes with an Impeccable career record in positioning and repositioning companies to strengthen brands and achieve market leadership.

Sheetal Munshaw

Director, Atout France in India

Sheetal is passionate about travel and lifestyle. She started her career in the travel industry as a journalist with the Indian Express. In 2011 she founded Avant-Garde Consulting which promoted a kaleidoscope of discerning travel brands such as Chamonix Mont-Blanc and the Private Collection of Portugal besides other luxury travel brand entities. In her current role, she looks forward to forging ahead with successful associations between France as a leading travel destination of choice.

Mr. Manish Sodhi

Chief Executive Officer, Sahara Hospitality Limited

A passionate leader with a long track record of successful management, Manish Sodhi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sahara Hospitality Limited is a veteran in hospitality industry with over 21 years of experience. His expertise has aided the brand to elevate and his skilful portfolio has further facilitated company’s extraordinary success over the years. He is very well versed in motivational practices, employee engagement, guest excellence and other hospitality trends. He has previously worked with leading International and Indian hotel brands like Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Greater Boston, The Leela Mumbai and The Lalit Mumbai.

Dr. Trust Lin

Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau Office Singapore

Dr. Trust Lin is Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau Office Singapore, leading on the promotion of Taiwan as a leisure and business destination in India, the Middle East, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. He has spent a considerable amount of his career promoting Taiwan for tourism in varied roles that included being Director of the East Coast National Scenic Administration; Director of the Taoyuan International Airport Tourist Service Center, and heading the Los Angeles Taiwan Tourism Bureau Office. Dr. Lin has a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the National Central University in Taiwan, a Masters in International Management from Portland State University, U.S.A. and has done an Executive Leadership Program from Harvard University.

Dr. Lin is a scuba diver and has dedicated much time to promoting sustainable marine tourism. He won the “ADEX Award for Outstanding Contribution of Dive Tourism” in April 2019. Dr Lin won the award for his efforts in promoting sustainable marine tourism when he was stationed on Taiwan’s east coast, as well as for his leadership in bringing Taiwan to the Asia Dive Expo (ADEX), the largest, and the longest-running dive show in Asia. for the first time in 2019.