Varanasi | 21–23 Aug 2026
The hospitality industry met in Varanasi from 21–23 August 2026 for the 56th FHRAI Annual Convention, staged under the theme “Ananta Kashi: Leading the Future of Tourism through Spirit, Culture, Cuisine and Craft.” ADTOI President Ved Khanna appeared in the programme and subsequent industry coverage for a panel focused on the role of travel agents and tour operators in creating new tourism opportunities.
Tour operators within a hospitality-led gathering
The relevant business session—“Unlocking New Tourism Opportunities: The Role of Travel Agents & Tour Operators”—was moderated by Aashish Gupta of FAITH. The published list included Ravi Gosain of IATO, Satish Sehrawat of the Indian Tourist Transporters Association and other tourism representatives alongside Khanna.
The theme of Ananta Kashi offered a natural setting for a conversation about experiences beyond hotel inventory: religious travel, cuisine, craft, heritage and community participation. Hotels can invest in capacity; tour operators help visitors navigate the journey, pace, services and expectations that surround a room booking.
The value of the FHRAI panel lay partly in who was represented. Hotel operators manage rooms, facilities and hospitality standards. Tour operators manage the complete customer journey across transport, local experiences and service expectations. Discussing future tourism growth without either side would leave an incomplete picture.
Varanasi offered an apt backdrop: the visitor economy includes religious journeys, heritage walks, cultural performances, gastronomy, handicrafts and accommodation across price points. The theme “Ananta Kashi” made it possible to discuss how these elements can become coherent, respectful experiences rather than disconnected purchases.
An operator’s perspective at the FHRAI convention
Khanna’s position at the table is professionally distinctive. He represented domestic distribution during a national hotel-industry convention, adding the view of the companies that connect travellers with accommodation providers and local experiences.
Travel agents and hotels serve the same visitor from different sides of the journey. A credible discussion of tourism growth must account for both the room and the surrounding destination experience.
The entire journey, not only the hotel room
The publication identifies the panel and the convention dates; the precise speaking time and any direct quotation should follow the original session record rather than an invented transcript.
A career connecting tourism associations and travel enterprise
Ved Khanna’s work at ADTOI forms part of a wider professional career in Indian travel. He is also Managing Director of Tourwala Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., with related business initiatives discussed separately in the Tourwala Universe overview. The association’s programmes are collective industry efforts, not promotions organised on behalf of a private travel agency.
Original reporting and event references
The reporting behind this account can be checked against the following original publications and institutional records: