Category Archives: Associations

Madan Prasad Bezbaruah, Secretary-General, Hotel Association of India (HAI), has said in a statement that Government should immediately open online applications for hotels to claim the benefits under SEIS for FY 2019-20. “We appeal to the Government of India to make the online application process available to hotels. These benefits are offered to hoteliers as a fixed percentage of their annual net foreign exchange earnings. The incentive enables hotels to subside input costs of imports and facilitates Indian hospitality to match global standards of hotels that a foreign tourist is accustomed to.  Given the hardship that hotels are going through since March, this delay may prove to be a crippling injury to an industry that is struggling with a force majeure scenario. The request to allow the hotels to avail the SEIS benefits that have already accrued to them for the year 2019-20 is fair and legitimate and should be acceded to. It is not a concession,” he said. HAI has urged the government to look into the matter urgently and has submitted a representation to Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to this effect. They claim that the process will go a long way in providing some relief to the hospitality sector which has been heavily burdened with high fixed costs of salaries, utilities, and licenses, etc.

Sharing an update on the association’s convention that it had planned to conduct virtually, Pradip Lulla, Acting President & VP, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), says, “We were planning to conduct our virtual convention in November 2020. However, we realise that people do not enjoy attending virtual events, especially when there is high possibility of technical glitches during the event. We will revisit our convention next year.”

When it comes to hospitality no country comes closer to perfection than Thailand offering something for everyone of diverse interest, every age and every budget. From pristine sandy beaches to lush jungles, bustling busy cities to traditional villages, Michelin star menus to roadside noodle stalls, historic Buddhist temples to 21st century sky scrapers, Thailand is truly amazing! Amazing Thailand also has Amazing Golf facilities. Ideally located more than 250 golf courses throughout the country, by the sea, by the mountains, by the lakes, inside the cities even besides the airports. Top quality courses, reasonable green fees, friendly caddies. From the beach resorts in the south such as Phuket to the mountainous surroundings in the north or the bustling cities of Bangkok and Pattaya, there are golf courses to suit every preference. To promote the Amazing Golf Experience, SLW, the leading Golf Management company had launched the first ever loyalty program for a country in 2017. ‘Thai Golf Passport was launched in India to offer Indian golfers a seamless golf experience in Thailand. Indian golfers can be a part of this Amazing reward programs whenever they tee off in Amazing Thailand’ said  Anil Dev, Managing Director, SLW.’ More than 250 quality service providers like Callaway and a number of Golf Courses, Resorts and hotels are on board as partners. While travel business took a hit due to Covid19, we are gearing up to make Thailand the destination of choice when travel resumes’ he added. Vachirachai Sirisumpan, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) New Delhi Office commenting that “Golf is one of the important segments which we focus on and continue to promote Thailand as Indian Golfer’s favourite destination. In fact, destination …

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) conducted its 38th Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually with members attending the proceedings online while the Executive Committee (EC) presented the financial year’s report physically at The Park Hotel, New Delhi. Sharing updates, the association also put forward its expectations from the next union budget of the government which includes deemed industry status, removal of cascading effects of GST on tourism industry, withdrawal of TCS for overseas tour packages, extension of SEIS among other.  

Sharing an update on the association’s elections, Pradip Lulla, Acting President & VP, TAFI, says, “We have just concluded all our Chapter and National AGMs. We are now looking to have our national elections early next year. We are still working on the modalities of it and looking at either doing a postal ballot or conducting it virtually using a software.”

John Koldowski, Special Advisor, PATA and Professor, Leshan Normal University, Sichuan, China in a webinar has revealed that in terms of countries that are expecting economic conditions in home country will be better in 6 months, India is second in line after Greater China, with 6% more people optimistic about the same since September 2020. Koldowski was speaking at a webinar by PATA, titled, ‘IVAs into Asia-Pacific in 2020 and Expectations for 2021-2023. “Those regions and countries that believe it will be better in 6 months, Greater China leads the pack, then India, followed by Asia-Pacific and North America. In Europe, it is trending in the other way, as they are feeling a bit gloomier,” he said.

IATO Elections will be held on 6th March 2021. In a communication released by IATO, on behalf of Homa Mistry, Returning Officer, IATO Elections -2020, it was revealed that in a meeting called by him, it was decided to hold the elections on 6th March 2021. It was also decided to take a call whether to hold the elections with physical presence of the members or to be done online. This will be decided as per prevailing pandemic conditions at that time for which the call will be taken in the beginning of February 2021.

Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has written to Minister of Civil Aviation and Minister of Tourism to request them to open tourist visas for foreigners to visit India; to make RTPCR tests mandatory for all arriving passengers with no quarantine; to absorb the costs of RTPCR test and waive it for travellers; should offer mandatory travel insurance for all incoming tourists, and allow travel to countries with which they don’t have air bubble agreement via flights through countries with which These agreements  are in place. Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, had commented recently, “This would allow airlines to offer connecting flights to countries that are allowing Indians to visit. Many countries, which are not connected directly, like South Africa, South America, etc., but people want to travel there. Hence, there is a need to open beyond air bubbles. This would allow footfall on both sides.”

India Tourism Mart (ITM), which was announced by the Tourism Minister to be held as a hybrid event, will not happen in November as was being planned earlier, revealed Subhash Goyal, Secretary General, FAITH. He said, “We had planned for the ITM to be held in November, but unfortunately, the Minister was not available owing to other commitments on those dates. We can now do it in end-December or beginning of January. We are in touch with the MOT for the same and will get a date very soon.”

Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, has said that they have written to MoCA and IATA that Jet Airways should not be given IATA membership till the time it is not known how they are working, what is their plan and how they would be moving forward. “They shouldn’t be allowed to become IATA members again for a couple of years, although they have filed for insolvency, which has rules and regulations,” she said.