Event Management Practices and Tourism Business Development: A Study of the Suryakiran Air Show 2026 At Mtdc Nashik.

Abstract Event-based tourism has emerged as an important component of destination development because well-managed events can attract visitors, generate economic activity, strengthen destination visibility and create opportunities for hospitality, transportation, food services, retail and other tourism-related businesses. In this context, the present study examines the event management practices and tourism business development associated with the Surya Kiran Air Show 2026 at the Gangapur Dam–MTDC Nashik tourism zone. The event was conducted in Nashik in January 2026 and involved the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team of the Indian Air Force, district administration and multiple supporting agencies. Contemporary reports indicate substantial public participation, with more than 50,000 spectators reported at the Gangapur backwaters on 23 January 2026. The study adopts a descriptive case-study approach using secondary information, official government documents, MTDC tourism information, published reports and field-based observations. The analysis focuses on event planning, stakeholder coordination, crowd management, safety and security, visitor facilities, accessibility, destination promotion and the potential contribution of the event to tourism-related business development. MTDC's Nashik tourism infrastructure, including the Boat Club and Grape Park Resort, provides an important tourism-business context around the event location. The study indicates that large-scale events can function as destination-promotion mechanisms when supported by effective coordination, visitor management and tourism-service integration. The study concludes that future events in the Nashik tourism region can be strategically integrated with accommodation, recreation, food services, local transportation, destination marketing and responsible tourism initiatives.