The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) will take its 40th Anniversary Convention to Rhodes, Greece, from October 4 to 7, bringing more than 400 Indian travel professionals to the island for four days of business sessions, networking, destination discovery and B2B engagement.
Held under the theme “Connecting Legacies, Crafting Futures”, the convention is being positioned as more than a milestone celebration. TAFI intends to use the event to familiarise its members with Rhodes and identify opportunities to develop new leisure, luxury, MICE, wedding and experiential travel products for the Indian market.
TAFI had announced the Rhodes convention earlier this year, with Jay Kantawala, Chairman of the federation’s Western India Chapter, appointed Convention Chairman. The programme is designed to combine professional engagement with cultural and destination experiences.
Bringing Rhodes closer to the Indian travel trade
TAFI President Abbas Moiz said the decision to select Rhodes was influenced by the island’s relatively limited presence in the Indian travel market and the opportunity to expose travel professionals to a destination with a broad tourism offering.
The convention will give delegates the opportunity to experience Rhodes firsthand while engaging with tourism stakeholders and exploring potential business opportunities. According to TAFI, registrations generated strong interest, with participation reaching 430 delegates.
The federation is also seeking to develop longer-term cooperation with regional authorities, including a proposed three-year memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening tourism ties between India and the Rhodes region.
A destination with diverse tourism potential
Rhodes combines ancient and medieval heritage with beaches, nature, gastronomy and resort infrastructure. Its UNESCO-listed medieval Old Town, historic landmarks, villages and coastal attractions provide multiple possibilities for itinerary development.
For the Indian travel trade, TAFI sees scope to build products that go beyond conventional Greece programmes. The island can be incorporated into leisure and luxury holidays as well as destination weddings, incentive travel, MICE programmes, family holidays and experiential itineraries.
The convention will provide delegates with exposure to hospitality products, attractions, event facilities, culinary experiences and excursions, enabling travel advisors to develop greater destination knowledge and create more detailed programmes for clients.
Connectivity strengthens the opportunity
Improved India–Greece air connectivity is another factor supporting the destination’s growing accessibility.
IndiGo launched non-stop services between Mumbai and Athens on January 23, 2026, followed by Delhi–Athens services on January 24. The airline operates the routes three times weekly and has described the services as its first direct connectivity between India and Greece.
AEGEAN has also expanded its India plans, announcing direct services to New Delhi from March 2026 and Mumbai from May 2026. The Greek carrier had earlier announced plans for five weekly New Delhi services and three weekly Mumbai services.
The improved connectivity gives travel professionals more options for developing Greece programmes and combining Athens with destinations such as Rhodes.
Business sessions at the centre of the programme
The convention will include dedicated B2B meetings connecting TAFI members with Greek hoteliers, destination management companies, tourism authorities, attractions and other tourism suppliers.
The objective is to move beyond destination awareness and translate firsthand experience into commercially viable products. Delegates are expected to gain product knowledge, establish supplier relationships and explore partnerships that can support future Greece programmes.
The programme will also include business discussions, expert speakers, networking opportunities and destination experiences. Industry reporting on the event indicates that pre- and post-convention activities will provide additional exposure to Greece’s cultural, nature-based, luxury and MICE offerings.
Positioning Rhodes beyond the traditional Greece itinerary
TAFI representatives see Rhodes as a destination that can complement, rather than replace, Greece’s more established destinations.
Its combination of heritage and beach tourism allows travel advisors to create multi-layered itineraries, while the island’s location provides access to other destinations in the southeastern Aegean and the wider Mediterranean.
The convention is therefore intended to give Indian travel professionals a practical understanding of how Rhodes can be incorporated into existing Greece itineraries and used to create new products for increasingly experienced outbound travellers.
From destination discovery to long-term business
TAFI’s broader objective is to turn the convention into an ongoing platform for India–Greece tourism cooperation.
The federation has highlighted the importance of continued destination education, familiarisation visits, joint promotions and B2B engagement in building sustained business between Indian travel companies and Greek tourism suppliers.
Under the theme “Connecting Legacies, Crafting Futures”, discussions will also address changing traveller preferences, technology, sustainability, international partnerships and the future direction of the travel industry.
For TAFI, the Rhodes convention represents an opportunity to connect its four-decade history with emerging opportunities in India’s outbound travel market. The longer-term measure of its impact will be whether destination knowledge and industry connections developed during the event translate into new itineraries, partnerships and travel business between India and Greece.
