Category Archives: Associations

IATO has formed a Covid -19 Assistance Task Force to help its members who need help in this time of crisis. The main objective of this committee is to gather authentic information and provide assistance to members. it has requested support from its members for this as many members have their family members working or have contacts for hospitals, medical equipment suppliers and oxygen cylinder suppliers.

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) which represents more than 1,600 operators for inbound tourists, has written to PM Modi asking for an intervention for amendment to conditions imposed by National Credit Guarantee Trustee (NCGTC) in implementation of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) which has been extended to travel and hospitality sectors. It provides operators access to easy emergency credit with the govt standing as guarantor.

The tourism fraternity in Kerala will observe May 1 as Black Day to pressure the state government to resolve problems faced by the sector. Tourism Samrakshana Samithi, an umbrella body of 20 organisations, will observe the Labour Day state wide by wearing black masks. A social media campaign #SaveTourism too will be launched. An immediate financial package of ₹250 crore to support tourism workers, financial aid as loan worth ₹2,500 crore through the Kerala Bank and restructuring of all loans in the sector are some of the demands.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced Liz Ortiguera as its next Chief Executive Officer effective May 17, 2021. She succeeds Dr Mario Hardy who will finish his term at the end of May. Ortiguera is a senior executive with over 25 years of global experience and expertise in general management, marketing, business development, and partner network management.

Rajiv Mehra, President – Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has been nominated from IATO EC to step in as the Honorary Secretary of FAITH.  A veteran of the travel trade, since 1977, Rajiv has been associated with the IATO Executive Committee since 2011, initially as its Executive Committee Member, thereafter as its Vice President and recently as its President.

Speaking on day one of WTTC’s Global Ssummit in Cancun, Gloria Guevara, CEO & President of WTTC, said, “The global recovery of the travel and tourism sector has begun. We are leading by example demonstrating how to execute a successful hybrid event with over 600 CEOs of the private sector attending and adhering to all health and safety protocols in place.”

Continuing with its efforts to find ways and means of enriching the members’ knowledge during these extremely challenging times, the Outbound Tour Operators of India (OTOAI) has recently collaborated with its recent associated member VisitPortugal,  to hold a series of webinars. The main purpose of these webinars is to enrich the knowledge of OTOAI members regarding Portugal as a tourism destination,  attracting visitors from all over the world (Europe’s Leading Destination 2020), to its seven and contrasting regions. Riaz Munshi, President, OTOAI said, “There are new and revised set of guidelines for people travelling to mainland Portugal, in transit or with connecting flights, regarding which we aim to appraise our members. These Webinars are just one of the many initiatives that we have been taking over the last few months to help OTOAI members sail through these exceptionally challenging times. The international travel scenario is changing very fast and we need to stay updated with the same to offer trustworthy and authentic information to our customers.” Claudia Matias, VisitPortugal Director in India said, “We are a country with such heritage, diversity,  inclusiveness, warm hospitality and mild weather. We rank top searched destination of “European Best Destinations” in 2021. It is not a surprise that celebrities such as Madonna, John Malkovich, Monica Bellucci or Scarlett Johansson decided to settle in our amazing country. These webinars are a continuation of our commitment and B2B strategy in India, after opening our office in New Delhi in 2020. We find it extremely relevant to train our business partners, helping them to sell the destination better. Besides this, we look forward to organising FAM trips to gain first-hand knowledge about our country, once tourism from …

As the world is struggling with a new wave and new mutations, the increased vaccination drive across the globe is offering the much-needed assurance and many countries have come out with statements welcoming guests who have received their complete vaccine dose. Maintaining the travel sentiment and in an endeavour to assure people that outbound travel from India will hopefully resume soon, RiazMunshi, President, OTOAI, was recently invited to be the Keynote Speaker at a Luxury B2B MICE Conference in Istanbul, Turkey organised by Team Travel Shop. The event took place from April 6 – 7, 2021. Expressing his thoughts on Indian traveller’s travel habits in the light of the pandemic, President OTOAI said, “Turkey is the perfect destination for all segments of Indian travellers, be it families, honeymooners, MICE groups or weddings. Turkey is also one of the first countries to launch the Safe Tourism Certification System, which is already a step in the right direction to build consumer confidence. Travellers will now be much more cognizant of their choice of destinations and will seek reassurance that they will be safe while in a particular country or location. Positioning the destination as one that promises travel safety upfront puts Turkey in a good position to attract more travellers. I am sure that together, we will make India the number one source market for Turkey.” Emphasising how the entire world is travelling in the same boat and must collectively work towards turning this into an opportunity, Munshi said, “I believe that the travel industry is at a point of disruption and the future will be different from what we had imagined, but it will surely be a bright one. For all …

Team North East India has reached Moscow to participate in the Indo-Russia Friendship Car Rally, organised by International Friendship Car Rally Association. The three-day rally was flagged off in New Delhi and is being sponsored by North East Council under the Ministry of DoNER. The members are from the 8 North-Eastern states and will showcase the potential of their unexplored region.

The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) and Hotel & Restaurant Association of Gujarat (HRA Gujarat) have submitted a representation to PM Narendra Modi to allow takeaway and home delivery services till 12am for hotels and restaurants in the state. The 2 associations have expressed agreement with the Gujarat government’s decision to impose restrictions for controlling the spread. However, taking into consideration the industry’s year-long crises, they have pleaded for some leeway.