Tourism Board brings operators, travel agents and hospitality stakeholders together for B2B meetings on World Tourism Day
TFP Bureau, Raipur, September 27,2026: Chhattisgarh’s Tourism Board and the Chhattisgarh Travel Trade Association organised the ‘Central India Connect Chhattisgarh Marketplace-2026’ in Naya Raipur on World Tourism Day on Sunday, bringing together tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, homestay operators and representatives of foreign tour agencies to explore business opportunities and promote the State’s destinations in domestic and international markets.
The event, held at Mayfair Lake View Resort, was attended by Tourism and Culture Minister Rajesh Agrawal, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Nilu Sharma, Tourism Department Secretary S. Bharathidasan and Tourism Board Managing Director Saumil Ranjan Chaubey, among other officials and representatives of the travel and hospitality industry.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Agrawal said tourism development should extend beyond increasing tourist arrivals and contribute to employment, local enterprise and livelihood opportunities for rural and tribal communities.
He highlighted the State’s range of tourism assets, including Bastar’s tribal culture, the natural landscapes of Surguja, Chitrakote and Tirathgarh waterfalls, the archaeological heritage of Sirpur, Rajim’s religious significance, Bhoramdev’s architecture and the wildlife of Barnawapara.
The Minister said the State government was working to strengthen Chhattisgarh’s presence on the national and international tourism map. He also referred to projects such as the Film City being developed in Raipur, the Bhoramdev Corridor and tourism development initiatives in the Mayali region of Jashpur.
Focus on tourism business and market linkages
Tourism Board Chairman Nilu Sharma said the marketplace was designed to strengthen business relationships between tourism entrepreneurs and travel trade representatives.
B2B meetings were organised during the event to facilitate discussions on tour packages, business partnerships and bringing tourist groups to Chhattisgarh. Travel agents and tour operators were also encouraged to incorporate destinations in the State into their travel packages.
Mr. Sharma said roadshows and participation in national tourism events in cities including Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Pune and Chennai had helped expand the Tourism Board’s network, with more than 400 travel agencies having partnered with it.
Tourism Board Managing Director Saumil Ranjan Chaubey highlighted the potential of digital technology and artificial intelligence in tourism promotion, content creation, improving visitor experience and making destinations more accessible.
A presentation at the event showcased the State’s waterfalls, wildlife, caves, tribal culture, community-based tourism, homestays, adventure tourism and archaeological and historical sites, including Chitrakote, Tirathgarh, Kutumsar-Kailash-Dandak caves, Mainpat, Jashpur, Sirpur, Bhoramdev, Dholkal Ganesh, Narayanpal and Malhar.
Focus on local communities and tourism infrastructure
Tourism Department Secretary S. Bharathidasan said tourism should be linked with employment and economic opportunities for local communities. He called for developing tourism products and packages based on the State’s cultural heritage, historical sites and natural resources and promoting them through digital platforms and social media.
The Tourism Board said the sector had gained a new policy direction following the granting of ‘industry’ status to tourism in the State. Among the ongoing initiatives are the identification of more than 280 rooms across 82 beneficiaries for homestays, digital booking facilities through the Tourism Board’s website and mobile application, and tourism promotion through investor meetings and roadshows.
Projects including the Sirpur Integrated Development Plan, Shaktipeeth Corridor and installation of destination signage and visitor amenities are also under way.
Tourism stakeholders honoured
Tourism stakeholders were also presented State-level awards for their work in different categories. Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi received the Best Tourism District Promotion Award, while Takshak Bhoramdeo was recognised as the Best Eco-Tourism Site.
Other awards included Best Hotel for Ambition, Jagdalpur; Best Tour Operator for D. Ramesh Camp Ones; Best Tourism Startup for Shivam Trivedi of Heritage Wala; Best Adventure Tour Operator for Saurabh Singh of Trippy Hills, Jashpur; and Best Homestay for Mansingh of Dhurva Dera.
Anupam Sinha received the Best Influencer Award. Srinivas Rao and his team from Dongargarh were recognised as the Best Tourist Information Centre/Star Performer of the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, while Subhash Thakur and his team from Eco Hareli Resort, Barnawapara, received the Best Star Performer Resort award.
Each award carried a cash prize of ₹11,000, along with a memento and certificate.
A coffee table book on the archaeological sites of Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi district was also released during the event.
