Tourwix News 14.11.2026   5

The Agency Is the Real Guest of a Trade Fair – and Its Welcome Starts at the Airport

People tend to judge a tourism fair by its halls, its exhibitor list and its evening receptions. Anyone who has spent a few seasons in this business knows something else: a fair is often won or lost hours before the doors open, in the arrivals hall. That is where the stay begins for the people a fair is really built for – travel agencies. You can see how we handle that first journey on our page about trade fair transfers with Tourwix.

No agencies, no fair

Hotels exhibit, transfer companies introduce themselves, destinations pitch. But who actually brings the travellers? In most cases, agencies do. They fill hotel rooms, book vehicles and sell excursions. A hotel can be beautiful, but without agencies selling it, many of its beds stay empty.

Tourwix founder Jahangir Gadimov puts it plainly: "Without agencies there are no suppliers, no tourists and no hotel guests. Agencies are the key people at every fair. If you invite them, you take responsibility for every minute of their stay – and the first minute is at the airport."

First impressions are made in arrivals

Picture an agency owner landing in Antalya after an early flight. The plan is tight: hotel, a quick freshen-up, then the first meetings at the fair. If nobody is standing there with a name sign, or the vehicle only turns up after a long wait, everything slides. One meeting is lost, the next one starts in a rush.

When a fair transfer runs late, the damage reaches well beyond that one day. Across the industry, the pattern is familiar:

• Missed appointments: meetings that took weeks to arrange are cut short or never happen.
• A weak first impression: the guest remembers the whole fair through the lens of that wait at the airport.
• Lower turnout next year: someone who did not feel looked after thinks twice before coming back – and tells colleagues.

In Gadimov's words: "An agency left waiting at the airport doesn't just lose time. The fair loses trust, and that trust is missing the following year. That is why our side is always the agency's side."

What ATF 2026 showed

At the International Antalya Tourism Fair (ATF), held on 26–28 October 2026 at ANFAŞ in Antalya, Tourwix provided the operations infrastructure for the airport meet-and-greet and transfers of the foreign agencies hosted by HelloOtel. On a single day, up to 800 guests moved through the system, and the Tourwix team was on the ground at both the airport and the fair.

In Tourwix's view, HelloOtel (hellootel.com) is one of the best platforms bringing hotels and agencies together – according to HelloOtel, it connects more than 28,000 agencies. Gadimov: "HelloOtel brings agencies to the same table as hotels. Our job is to make sure they arrive at that table relaxed."

What good fair transfer looks like

Experience boils it down to six things that make fair transfers dependable:

1. One shared list. Every guest is a record with flight, hotel and time. Dispatch, drivers and the arrivals team all see the same picture.
2. Flight tracking. Delays and early landings are spotted before the guest reaches the baggage belt, so the pickup is adjusted rather than improvised.
3. A meet-and-greet team in arrivals. Visible people with name signs who walk guests to the right vehicle.
4. Fixed shuttle times to the venue. Clear departures from hotels to the fairground, shared in advance.
5. One contact person. A single reachable person for changes, instead of five chats with five different answers.
6. Return planning. Closing times, evening events and flight departures belong in the plan from day one.

Agencies that want to work this way for their own guests all year round, not just at fairs, can find the details in the Tourwix programme for agencies: their own panel, bookings on behalf of guests and agency rates.

ATF 2027: plan your transfers early

According to Ekonomi Gazetesi, ATF27 takes place on 26–28 October 2027. A year sounds like plenty of time, but group travel rewards early planning:

• Start the guest list now – names and a contact person first; flight details can follow later.
• Name hotels precisely – Antalya has many properties spread across different zones, and a full name saves detours.
• Cluster arrival windows – flights that land close together make shared pickups easier.
• Plan meetings outside the fair – for hotel visits in between, a vehicle with driver booked by the hour works well.

The sooner the details are in, the calmer the first fair day – for the agency and for everyone welcoming it.

Your view

Think back to your last trade fair arrival. Were you met on time, or did the wait shape your first day? What do you think? Tell us about your experience.

FAQ

Why are travel agencies the most important guests at a tourism fair?
Because agencies bring the travellers. Without them, hotels, transfer companies and other suppliers have no bookings. At the fair, agencies make their decisions for the coming season.

What does good fair transfer look like?
One shared guest list, flight tracking, a meet-and-greet team in arrivals, fixed shuttle times to the venue, one reachable contact person and planned return trips.

When is ATF 2027?
According to Ekonomi Gazetesi, on 26–28 October 2027.

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