Category Archives: Associations

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics, an independent body under the aegis of the UNWTO, met recently to assess the implications health certificates might have on tourism ethics. The Committee has recommended that COVID-19 certificates for international travel must be free, universally available and non-discriminatory. They must also be limited in time and use, it says.

At FITUR, the international Spanish tourism trade fair in Madrid from May 19-23, UNWTO will ensure sustainability, innovation and responsibility are a central part of the conversation. The hybrid event will celebrate the diversity of the award-winning ideas for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and the people behind them.

Prateek Hira has been appointed as the Chairman of FICCI Tourism Committee, Uttar Pradesh State Council. Prateek Hira brings 27 years of experience in the tourism industry and expertise on the subject with many tourism researches to his credit. The committee shall advise the government of Uttar Pradesh primarily on the issues plaguing the tourism industry and will work closely with the government of Uttar Pradesh to revive tourism in a time-bound manner after the present situation of pandemic eases. A detailed white paper will be presented to the government that will enlist the measures required for the earliest revival of tourism. The government of Uttar Pradesh has resolved to create employment opportunities through tourism and make tourism a key driver of growth and FICCI through its Tourism Committee under the chairmanship of Prateek Hira will be a catalyst to make this happen soonest.

Prabhulal Joshi, President, Maharashtra Tour Organisers Association (MTOA), believes the industry is looking at another year of losses due to the second wave of infections. “Post October, things had picked up, bookings had started for the April-May holiday season. But everything now has again come to a standstill. The combined loss to the industry is estimated to be nearly Rs 200 crore,” he says.  

In a marathon session fielding member queries, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, urged everyone to register themselves on the Ministry of Tourism website. She said, “Agencies who don’t do this may not be allowed to call themselves a travel agent.” The association has also written to MoCA to help resolve matters with Air India bookings multiple times, and has sought an online appointment directly with the PM.

The IATO Executive Committee recently reviewed and restructured the IATO Regional and the State Chapters to expand its wings and strengthen its membership base in Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu. In continuation, IATO has further expanded its wings by appointing Co-Chairman and in-charge in various states and union territories. Rajasthan being a large state with a strong membership basis was considered to have a Co-chairman and Mahendra Singh of Holidays N Vacations, Jaipur has been appointed as Co-Chairman of Rajasthan. It was for a long time in the mind of IATO EC to have a Co-Chairman of Uttar Pradesh who should be based in Varanasi, keeping in view the importance of Varanasi as a big tourist attraction,  both for international and domestic tourists and Bhuvanendra Vikram Singh of Prime Value Tours Pvt. Ltd has been given this responsibility. Sikkim being a prime tourist destination needed a Co-Chairman, keeping in view the distance between North Bengal and Sikkim.  Namgyal P Sherpa of Namgyal Treks & Tours, Gangtok has been appointed as co-chairman to assist the Chairman of Sikkim and North Bengal Chapter who is based in Siliguri, Darjeeling. Similar is the case of Andaman & Nicobar and Mohamed Jadwet has been appointed as Co-Chairman in Andaman & Nicobar to assist the Chairman based in Chennai. Besides the above, two-state in-charge have been appointed in Manipur & Tripura to assist Chairman of IATO North East Chapter and H Radhakrishna Sharma, of Seven Sisters Holidays and Soumen Dutta of Hindustan Tour & Travels have been appointed State In-Charge of Manipur and Tripura respectively. Rajiv Mehra, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) expressed his happiness and mentioned …

IATO Executive Committee has relooked and restructured its Regional and State Chapters to expand its wings and strengthen its membership basis. Separate chapters have been created for Uttarakhand and Ladakh with Nidhish Sharma, Managing Director, Garhwal Adventure, Dehradun and Tsering Namgyal, Managing Director, Windhorse Expeditions India, Ladakh being appointed as Chairman for Uttarakhand and Ladakh respectively.

FHRAI has submitted a representation requesting the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman to provide a ‘Special Credit Guarantee Window’ to the Hospitality sector under ECLGS. The association has asked that the Government standardizes and aligns tenures and moratorium facilities floated under ECLGS 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0. It has also sought relief in the tenure of loan and moratorium facilities granted under the ECLGS 3.0.

IATO Executive Committee has relooked and restructured its Regional and State Chapters to expand its wings and strengthen its membership basis. IATO Kerala Chapter Chairman, Sejoe Jose, Managing Director, Marvel Tours will be the new Chairman of the IATO Southern region. He will replace EM Najeeb, who has been the Chairman of the Southern Region and has immensely contributed to the growth of IATO in the Southern Region. James Kodianthara, Managing Director, Concord Exotic Voyages (I) will take reigns in Kerala from Jose. Jitendra Kejriwal, Chairman, Arika Tour & Travels will lead the Maharashtra Chapter in place of Vasuki Sundaram. Separate Chapters have been announced for Uttarakhand and Ladakh, where Nidhish Sharma,  Managing Director, Garhwal Adventure, Dehradun and Tsering Namgyal, Managing Director, Windhorse Expeditions India, Ladakh being appointed as Chairman for Uttarakhand and Ladakh respectively. Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO while welcoming the new regional/state chapters mentioned that he is sure that this will help strengthen IATO membership base pan India and especially in Uttarakhand and Ladakh as there was no separate Chapter Chairman in these two states. With having State Chairman located at those places,  besides increasing membership base,  IATO will have better coordination and interaction with the state governments and the local trade

In order to provide timely assistance to its members and the fraternity at large, ADTOI has formed a task force from among its members. Rajiv Arora of Phoenix Holidays, New Delhi has been made in-charge of this task force along with some volunteers who will coordinate and collecting the authenticity of information which will then be circulated to all members pan India. Its main task will be to collect authentic information on availability of oxygen cylinders, ventilators, beds at hospitals, medicines, etc.