Kumar Bahukhandi
Delegates on stage during the Chhattisgarh Tourism Roadshow, organised by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board in association with FICCI at Hyatt Regency, Ahmedabad, on Friday, October 30, 2026. The programme brought together tourism stakeholders to explore travel partnerships and investment opportunities. Photo: channel24india.com via CG/DPR
Ahmedabad roadshow brings together 30 Chhattisgarh tourism stakeholders and 148 Gujarat tour operators to explore travel packages, business partnerships and investment opportunities
Key Highlights
- Chhattisgarh Tourism Board organises Ahmedabad roadshow in association with FICCI.
- Champaran, the birthplace of Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya, emerges as a key link between the two states.
- Proposed itineraries seek to connect pilgrimage visits with Sirpur, Rajim, Bastar and Chitrakote Falls.
- Business meetings focus on joint packages, travel routes and tourism services.
- Investor interaction explores infrastructure development and greater private participation.
Raipur: Chhattisgarh showcased its religious destinations, natural attractions, archaeological heritage and tribal traditions at a tourism roadshow in Ahmedabad, seeking to strengthen its presence in Gujarat’s travel market and encourage investment in the state’s tourism sector.
Organised by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the event at Hyatt Regency, Ahmedabad, brought together 30 tourism stakeholders from Chhattisgarh and 148 tour and travel operators from Gujarat.
Artists present a folk performance during the Chhattisgarh Tourism Roadshow in Ahmedabad on Friday, October 30, 2026, showcasing the state’s cultural traditions before tourism professionals and guests. Photo: channel24india.com via via CG/DPR
The roadshow provided a platform for tourism businesses from both states to explore partnerships, develop travel packages and discuss ways to increase visitor movement. A separate investor interaction examined opportunities for tourism infrastructure and private sector participation.
Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Neelu Sharma speaks to journalists about the state’s tourism attractions and opportunities to strengthen travel links with Gujarat during the Chhattisgarh Tourism Roadshow in Ahmedabad on Friday, October 30, 2026. Photo: channel24india.com via via CG/DPR
Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Neelu Sharma, Tourism and Culture Secretary Dr S. Bharathidasan, Tourism Board Managing Director Soumil Ranjan Choubey and Gujarat Tourism Corporation representative Ankita Parmar attended the programme.
Deputy General Managers Pushpendra Sharma and Poonam Sharma were also present, along with representatives of the tourism industry.
Champaran offers a strong starting point
A central theme of the outreach was the religious and cultural connection between Gujarat and Champaran in Chhattisgarh, the birthplace of Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya.
The destination attracts Gujarati devotees, providing an established foundation on which the Tourism Board hopes to build broader travel itineraries.
Rather than limiting these visits to a single pilgrimage destination, the initiative seeks to introduce visitors to other religious, historical, cultural and natural attractions across Chhattisgarh.
In a detailed presentation, Managing Director Soumil Ranjan Choubey outlined possibilities for linking Champaran with the archaeological heritage of Sirpur, the religious significance of Rajim, Bastar’s distinctive tribal culture and Chitrakote Falls.
The proposed approach would allow travel operators to offer journeys combining pilgrimage with heritage, nature and cultural experiences.
Longer itineraries could encourage visitors to spend more time in the state and generate additional business for accommodation providers, transport operators, guides, handicraft sellers and other local service providers.
Tour operators explore joint packages and routes
Tourism representatives participate in a round-table discussion during the Chhattisgarh Tourism Roadshow in Ahmedabad on Friday, October 30, 2026. Business interactions explored tourism partnerships, travel packages and investment opportunities. Photo: channel24india.com via CG/DPR
Business meetings between participants focused on practical opportunities for cooperation between the two tourism markets.
Discussions covered joint tourism packages, travel routes, visitor movement and the expansion of tourism services. Gujarat’s operators were introduced to Chhattisgarh’s destinations, available facilities and opportunities to develop itineraries suited to their customers’ interests.
The meetings also gave Chhattisgarh’s tourism service providers direct access to operators working in the Gujarat market.
Participants explored how pilgrimage demand could support wider destination promotion, while considering packages that reflect travellers’ preferences and requirements.
These exchanges opened opportunities for continuing business relationships and future collaboration on bringing more visitors to Chhattisgarh.
Investment discussions focus on infrastructure
A dedicated investor meeting accompanied the roadshow, allowing prospective investors from Gujarat to discuss opportunities in Chhattisgarh’s tourism sector.
The interaction covered tourism infrastructure, the expansion of tourism businesses and ways to increase private participation.
Participants were briefed on the state’s natural, religious, historical and cultural attractions and their potential to support new visitor facilities and services.
The discussions explored possibilities for future investment. Any resulting projects could contribute to employment and local economic activity as tourism facilities develop.
Folk performances showcase cultural identity
Cultural performances added a visual introduction to Chhattisgarh’s tourism offering.
Artists presented the state’s folk traditions before the gathering, giving travel professionals and guests a glimpse of the cultural experiences that could form part of future itineraries.
The performances complemented the business presentations by bringing the state’s living traditions into the roadshow programme.
Media interaction supports destination outreach
The organisers also interacted with media representatives, sharing information on Chhattisgarh’s major destinations, tourism initiatives and plans to reach travellers from Gujarat.
Religious tourism, particularly the connection with Champaran, featured prominently in the discussion, alongside efforts to promote the state’s wider range of attractions.
The Ahmedabad outreach brought destination promotion, business networking, investment discussions and cultural presentations onto a single platform. Its longer-term value will depend on translating these contacts into travel packages, sustained partnerships and increased visitor engagement with Chhattisgarh.
