State pavilion beats 20 others to bag top honours at Kolkata fair, drawing ministers, investors and tour operators
The three-day fair, held July 10-12 at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, drew tour operators, travel professionals and investors from across the country. Chhattisgarh’s stall stood out for its presentation of Bastar’s tribal culture alongside marquee destinations like the Chitrakote and Tirathgarh waterfalls, Kanger Valley National Park, Sirpur and Bhoramdeo — a mix organisers say captured both the state’s heritage and its push toward modern tourism infrastructure.
Behind the scenes, the fair doubled as a business floor. Tourism Board Chairman Neelu Sharma, Tourism Secretary S. Bharathidasan and Managing Director Vivek Acharya held a string of B2B meetings with hotel groups, travel agencies and investors, with talks centred on investment opportunities, joint tourism packages and marketing tie-ups. Around 28 tour operators, hoteliers and homestay owners from Chhattisgarh and other states also used the event to scout partnerships.
The pavilion drew a steady stream of dignitaries on opening day, including Goa Tourism Minister Rohan A. Khaunte, Uttarakhand Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, West Bengal Tourism Minister Dr Shankar Ghosh, and Thailand’s Consul General Siriporn Tantipanyathep — all of whom stopped by to take in the state’s tribal and religious heritage displays.
Sharma called the award proof of the state’s rising tourism profile, crediting the momentum to the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Tourism and Culture Minister Rajesh Agrawal. Bharathidasan said continued visibility at national and global platforms would translate into more tourists, more investment and more jobs, while Acharya framed the win as a shared achievement — one he said moves Chhattisgarh a step closer to becoming a leading tourism destination in its own right.
