The interactive session to feature 9 esteemed industry experts who will share their insights and experiences to an expected participation of over 400 attendees representing the next generation of travel professionals.
MTF Events has unveiled its groundbreaking initiative, ‘MTF Spark,’ conceived by three industry veterans – Pradip Saaboo, Managing Director of Guideline Travels Holidays India Pvt. Ltd.; Rajat Bagaria, Managing Director of Shrishti Tours & Travels Pvt. Ltd.; and Sameer Karnani, Owner of Arunodaya Travels.
The event aims to host an interactive session featuring nine esteemed industry experts who will share their insights and experiences with the next generation of travel professionals. This engaging forum is set to take place on August 10th at the Jai Hind College Auditorium. Following the main session, a Q&A round will provide young attendees the opportunity to seek advice and answers to their queries, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas within the travel trade industry.
Sharing the core idea about ‘MTF Spark,’ Saaboo expressed, “We haven’t come across any such brainstorming event like ‘Spark’ before in our industry, where there is an interaction between and within the trade, exchanging ideas. There has never been anything like ‘Spark’ happening before in the industry. With ‘Spark,’ we have tried to bring different genres of speakers from different verticals, including youngsters, industry professionals, veterans, and others.”
About his vision, Saaboo added, “Through this event, my goal is to change the minds of at least five people and motivate them to join the industry. If this happens, ‘Spark’ should be bigger next time, and in five years, we should be doing ‘Spark’ every year. This depends on the support our fraternity friends extend by bringing their kids to this event, which is the most challenging part. We are expecting around 400+ people to join us for ‘Spark.'”
Bagaria mentioned, “When we talk to the next generation, they often express interest in other industries or professions. Hardly anyone says they wish to become a travel professional, even when they come from a family that has been in the travel trade for generations. They consider joining the industry as a fallback. We want to change this narrative, and this is the first edition of this unique initiative.
When asked about the future of ‘Spark,’ Bagaria said, “Currently, we are focused on Mumbai. If demand grows, we may consider expanding to other cities.” Bagaria also added that he envisions multiple knowledge sessions, longer engagements, more inclusiveness, and new ideas in the future. An interesting area Bagaria mentioned is training and skilling, where ‘Spark’ aims to make an impact. “In our industry, we see a lot of raw talent, which is great, but we also need more skilled and specialized individuals. There is no regulation on newcomers opening businesses in this industry. There should be an organized entry level and a learning process, with defined norms and pricing factors.”
Expressing excitement, Karnani mentioned, “The idea came to us when the three of us were casually brainstorming and realized that none of our children are interested in joining the travel trade industry. We noted that we are facing a staff shortage because the new generation doesn’t seem keen on joining us, and we wanted to find out why. Maybe they don’t find the industry interesting or worthwhile. So, we wanted to motivate the new generation to join the industry and educate them.”
He further added that ‘Spark’ is completely different; it is something that MTF is doing for the industry with a non-profit motive. “There are no commercials or sponsorships involved; we are paying for the arrangements from our own pockets. Interestingly, apart from Mumbai, people from other cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore are joining us to talk about their journeys in the industry and share new perspectives with the next generation. It is our way of giving back to the industry,” added Karnani.
