The Leela Gandhinagar, in the twin cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, has appointed Rahul Mehta as its new Director of Sales and Marketing. With a stellar career spanning over 15 years, Mr. Mehta brings a wealth of experience in sales, marketing and client relationship management.

Mr. Mehta's expertise encompasses strategic sales planning, stakeholder engagement and finance management, supported by a strong analytical mindset and thorough understanding of P&L management. His diverse experience includes leadership roles at renowned hospitality brands such as Novotel Ahmedabad, Park Hyatt Hyderabad and The LaLiT Hotels, Palaces & Resorts. He has also worked extensively in Scotland. Most recently, he served as Associate Director of Executive Education with Ahmedabad University.

Vikas Sood, General Manager, The Leela Gandhinagar, said, "We are delighted to welcome Rahul Mehta to The Leela family. His deep understanding of the hospitality industry, coupled with his proven ability to craft innovative sales strategies, will undoubtedly propel The Leela Gandhinagar to new heights of success."

Commenting on his new role, Mr. Mehta said, "I am delighted to be a part of The Leela Gandhinagar. This is a proud moment for me and I look forward to contributing to the continued success of this iconic property and strengthening its position as a premier luxury hospitality destination. I am thankful to The Leela for this opportunity."

Mr. Mehta is a gold medalist with an MBA in International Hospitality and Events Management from IMI, Switzerland. He also holds a BA in International Hospitality Management from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and a Diploma in Hotel and Catering Management from IIHM, Kolkata.

Beyond his professional commitments, Mr. Mehta has a passion for reading, running, exploring world cuisines and playing volleyball.

OTM 2025, the premier travel trade show in India and Asia, is set to take place from January 30 to February 1, 2025, at Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre. With over 2,100 exhibitors, 40,000 buyers, and participation from 80+ countries, OTM promises to be a transformative event for the global travel and tourism industry.

This year’s edition will bring together a diverse mix of national tourism organizations, airlines, hotels, destination management companies, and travel tech innovators. Global VIPs, including Hon'ble Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Shri Omar Abdullah, and international leaders like H.E. Mr. Haim Katz (Minister of Tourism, Israel) and Mr. Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Deputy Minister of Tourism, Malaysia), will grace the event.

Key Highlights of OTM 2025:

• Exclusive Destinations: Countries such as Georgia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Morocco, and Peru will exclusively participate in OTM, showcasing offerings not seen at other regional travel events.
• Networking Opportunities: Over 1,000 handpicked buyers from India’s Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities will connect with exhibitors and global destinations.
• Thought Leadership: The OTM Forum will host discussions on key industry trends, including fireside chats with government officials and sessions featuring leaders from Airbnb, Skyscanner, Booking.com, and major corporations like Deloitte and L&T.
• Specialized Events: Day 2 will highlight WeddingSutra Engage, a platform for wedding planners to explore trends in luxury celebrations and destination weddings.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Mr. Sanjiv Agarwal, Founder & CEO of Fairfest Media, shared, “India is emerging as the future growth engine for global tourism. OTM 2025 will bring unmatched opportunities for the Indian travel industry to connect with international destinations and foster collaborations.”

OTM’s strategic location in Mumbai, which contributes to over 60% of India’s outbound travel, makes it the perfect venue for this event. The city’s role as a departure point for travelers underlines its importance in shaping the future of tourism.

About OTM and Fairfest Media:

OTM Mumbai is Asia’s leading travel trade show, creating unparalleled opportunities for the Indian travel industry to engage with global markets. Organized by Fairfest Media, the event attracts Tourism Ministers, CEOs, and industry leaders from around the world. With a legacy of organizing TTF-branded travel shows in seven Indian cities, Fairfest Media continues to be a pioneer in shaping the travel ecosystem in the world’s fastest-growing market.

If you are in the travel business, mark your calendars—OTM 2025 is the event you cannot afford to miss!

In the early hours of January 16, 2025, India proudly joined an exclusive club of spacefaring nations with ISRO’s successful execution of the SpaDeX docking experiment. This accomplishment, which involved the precise docking of two small satellites—SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target)—marks India as the fourth nation in the world to achieve this complex feat, following in the footsteps of the U.S., Russia, and China.

Launched on December 30, 2024, the SpaDeX mission was designed to demonstrate critical technology needed for spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking using small satellites. ISRO’s Mission Operations Complex (MOX) in Bangalore oversaw the procedure, which included moving the satellites from a 15-meter hold point to a successful docking. Following the maneuver, ISRO confirmed the successful control of the two satellites as a single entity, with power transfer and undocking tests scheduled for the coming days.

The mission also serves as a critical building block for future space endeavors, including India’s plans for lunar exploration, astronaut missions to the Moon, and the development of the Indian Space Station. Additionally, the SpaDeX experiment demonstrates the transfer of electric power between docked spacecraft, a crucial step for in-space robotics, composite spacecraft control, and payload operations. ISRO's success with SpaDeX not only strengthens India’s position in the global space community but also sets the stage for future advancements in space technology.

Hospitalitynews is proud to witness and celebrate this remarkable achievement, marking another moment of national pride and technological advancement for India. This historic success enhances India's growing reputation in space exploration, and it is an inspiring achievement that paves the way for even greater milestones in the future.

Photo and video Credit: X/@ISRO