Third edition records more than 80,000 exhibitor-buyer connections as industry gathers for two days of business, networking and awards
September 28, 2026
The third edition of Mélange concluded at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai following two days of business meetings, networking and engagement among travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality professionals.
Held on September 26 and 27, the trade exhibition brought together travel brands and buyers from across India and international markets. Organisers said the event recorded more than 80,000 exhibitor-buyer connections through the Mélange platform, reflecting the emphasis on structured business interaction. Independent industry listings and exhibitor communications also confirm the September 26–27 dates and Mumbai venue.
Focus on meaningful business connections
The organisers said the event was designed around quality of engagement rather than simply maximising visitor numbers. Buyer participation and access were controlled, with the objective of giving exhibitors more time for substantive discussions with relevant travel professionals.
The exhibition floor remained active throughout both days, with meetings continuing across exhibitor areas and networking spaces. The format also attracted senior representatives and decision-makers from the travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality sectors.
The event’s emphasis on business-to-business interaction reflects a broader trend within India’s travel trade, where destination organisations, hotels, airlines, cruise companies, DMCs and technology providers increasingly use specialised platforms to establish direct relationships with travel advisors.
Mélange’s organisers had earlier announced more than 400 travel brands for the 2026 edition, with participation from India and overseas markets.
Awards mark World Tourism Day finale
The second day concluded with the Mélange Awards 2026, held on World Tourism Day, September 27.
The awards included categories decided by an industry jury as well as popular-choice categories voted on by the travel trade.
According to the official awards platform, the jury categories covered sustainable tourism, technology, lifetime achievement, female leadership and young achievement.
Jury Awards
The 2026 jury awards recognised:
Sustainable Tourism Initiative Award: RARE India, founded by Shoba Rudra
Technology Upgrade for Trade Award: Veena World
Lifetime Achievement Award: Subhash Goyal, Founder and Chairman, STIC Travel Group
Female Achiever Award: Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive, TIRUN Travel Marketing
Young Achiever Award: Hari Ganapathy, CEO and Co-Founder, Pickyourtrail
The jury comprised senior industry professionals including Dev Karvat, Dinesh Bhatter, Hemant Mediratta, Nalini Gupta, Nishant Kashikar, Pranav Kapadia and Sunil Kumar Rumalla. The official awards platform confirms their participation in judging the jury categories.
Popular Choice Awards
The popular awards were determined through trade voting across eight categories. The 2026 winners listed by the organisers were:
Most Trade Friendly Airline – Domestic: IndiGo
Most Trade Friendly Airline – International: Emirates
Most Popular Hotel Chain – MICE: Marriott International
Most Popular Hotel Chain – Leisure: Taj Group
Most Trade Friendly Cruise Brand: Royal Caribbean International
Most Popular Tour Operator: Thomas Cook (SOTC)
Most Popular Destination – International: Switzerland
Most Popular Destination – Domestic: Kerala
The official awards platform confirms that these eight categories were presented as trade-voted awards, while the five jury categories were assessed separately by the appointed industry panel.
A platform for travel trade networking
Beyond the awards, Mélange 2026 provided a meeting point for companies across different segments of the travel ecosystem.
Exhibitor communications ahead of the event showed participation from DMCs, technology companies and international tourism suppliers, with businesses using the exhibition to develop B2B relationships with Indian travel professionals.
The format also placed emphasis on verified buyers and targeted meetings. MTF Events, the organisation behind Mélange, has described the exhibition as a platform focused on connecting relevant exhibitors with buyers rather than pursuing visitor numbers alone.
Mélange 2027 announced
With the 2026 edition completed, organisers have already announced dates for the next edition.
Mélange 2027 is scheduled for August 26 and 27, 2027, at Hall VI, NESCO, Mumbai.
The organisers have also announced Mélange Select, a regional format designed to provide more focused interactions between travel brands and buyers.
The announced 2027 Mélange Select schedule is:
January 27, 2027 – Kolkata
January 28, 2027 – Chennai
January 29, 2027 – Ahmedabad
January 30, 2027 – Chandigarh
The regional programme is intended to take the B2B networking format beyond Mumbai and provide participating suppliers with access to travel professionals in key markets.
Travel trade looks ahead
The conclusion of Mélange 2026 comes as India’s travel industry continues to expand its network of B2B platforms connecting domestic and international suppliers with travel advisors.
With tourism products becoming increasingly diverse across leisure, luxury, MICE, cruises, technology and destination services, industry exhibitions continue to provide opportunities for suppliers and buyers to develop commercial relationships and explore new markets.
For Mélange, the next stage will be the expansion of its regional format and preparations for the 2027 Mumbai edition.
