Category Archives: Associations

Riaz Munshi, President, OTOAI believes that policy contradicts the government’s slogan of “ease of doing business” in India. “It is relief now, but situation is complicated. If such policies continue to emerge, it will be difficult to conduct business.

Reacting to the recent TCS amendment, Ajay Prakash, President, TAFI, questioned, “If luxury car attracts only 1% TCS then why is travel fraternity victimized?” He added that the change will provide breather but won’t take away the fact that scheme was hastily implemented.

Global international scheduled seat capacity on offer for the week to 19-Jun-2023 reached 59.9 million seats. Capacity reached a new pandemic era high (97.6% of 2019 volumes).

Julia Simpson, President, World Travel and Tourism Council, emphasized on need of smart visas. “Paper visas is thing of past. India is moving quickly in the e-visas space but it can move faster towards smart QR coded visas like Dubai,” she said.

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General, UNWTO said, “We must ensure recovery of tourism to be sustainable, inclusive and resilient. Goa Roadmap for Tourism to work as channel for achieving SDGs & offering G20 economies proposed plan leading towards better future.”

PATA India chapter is organizing an exclusive webinar on Artificial Intelligence (AI) & ChatGPT on 4 August 2023 at 11:00 AM (IST). The speaker of the event will be Matt Gibson, CEO – UpThink, a digital agency specializing in content, SEO, influencer marketing, and AI integration for the travel industry.

Julia Simpson, President and CEO, WTTC, has said that in 2022, there were 37.2 million people employed in the travel and tourism sector in India. “By the end of this year, we expect 39 million people to be employed in this sector,” she added.

WTTC’s Economic Impact Research 2023 reveals India’s travel & tourism sector is recovering &  touching pre-pandemic levels. Int’l visitor spend in India will reach more than ₹2 trillion with domestic visitor spend forecasted to reach ₹ 12.6 trillion.

UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said that the organisation supports PM Modi’s efforts to promote tourism in India, a country rich in culture with “huge potential” to attract more investment in the sector and promote more tourism because “India is one of the richest countries in the world with its cultural assets, and it means that tourism is here.” UNWTO has signed an MoU with Indian government on the sidelines of G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Goa that includes many projects.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) gathered leading Travel & Tourism stakeholders and G20 Ministers in a Public-Private Dialogue in Goa today to address the sector’s vast potential and challenges. Joined by India’s Minister of Tourism, the Hon. G. Kishan Reddy, and UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO commended India’s Ministry of Tourism for its leadership during India’s G20 Presidency and highlighted Travel & Tourism’s substantial contribution not only to the global economy but to employment. Currently representing 9.2% of the world’s GDP and supporting one in every 11 jobs globally, the sector is experiencing remarkable growth, outpacing the global economy by growing twice as fast. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “It is proven where governments and the private sector work together in Travel & Tourism the economy is stronger, jobs are created, and people get to enjoy and understand other cultures. “Together, businesses and governments can build back a better, stronger, and more resilient sector. Governments also heard first-hand the value of having streamlined visa processes, digital borders, and a strong focus on sustainability. We need each other to achieve this”. During her address, Simpson emphasised the opportunities for investors, governments, and society to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through collaboration. India’s impressive expansion in Travel & Tourism was praised as a prime example. The sector is projected to contribute over INR 16.5TN to India’s economy this year, create 1.6MN new jobs, to reach a total employment figure of nearly 40MN people. By the end of the decade, tourism is forecast to contribute approximately 7% of India’s economy. Simpson addressed three key challenges facing the industry: Visa backlogs pose a significant obstacle, with excessive …