Tag Archives: TAAI

SKAL Pune is beginning Tourism Week with a groundbreaking cycle marathon,” said, Krishna Gopalan, Vice President, Travel Masters, Mumbai, Vice President, SKAL India. “This unique event, scheduled for 22 September, 2024, is in partnership with TAAI, TAFI, IIHM and PHA. I urge the entire travel fraternity in Pune to join us for a day of fun, networking, and supporting a great cause. Let’s get out and enjoy the ride!” SKAL International Pune’s Pedal for Purpose will celebrate World Tourism Week 2024 with a thrilling cyclothon. The cyclothon aims to promote sustainability, foster networking within the travel fraternity, and contribute to important causes such as road safety, tree planting and reducing plastic use. Participants can look forward to a scenic route, impactful stopovers, and a grand celebration with food, games, entertainment, and networking opportunities. Unite, celebrate, and impact as the travel fraternity comes together for Pune’s first-ever cycle marathon.  

Jyoti Mayal, President, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), recently said that TAAI’s organisational elections for the term 2024 – 2026 will be held along with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) before the end of September 2024. Elections for various TAAI’s chapters are being held across the country.

Manoj Sogani has been elected as the chairman of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Rajasthan Chapter. In the elections held on July 24, 2024, for the Rajasthan Chapter of India’s largest and oldest travel agents association, TAAI, Mr. Manoj Sogani won by a significant & huge margin of votes and has been re-elected as chairman for the fifth consecutive term. His new term will be from 2024 to 2026. Before this continuing period of term Mr. Manoj Sogani has also served as National Managing Committee Member, secretary and chairman in past before as well. Mr. Manoj Sogani is a travel expert and professional with nearly 40 years of extensive experience in the industry. Due to his expertise and proficiency, several organizations maintain their association with him. These include various airport advisory committees, airline committees, and visa committees. The Department of Tourism, Ministry of India also invites him for hotel classification and he is specially invited to all types of tourism seminars and fairs as special guests of honour. Mr. Dashrath Singh Rathore was elected unopposed as Secretary and Mr. Arvind Parikh as Treasurer. Both of them are also well-known in the trade and bring with them a wealth of experience.

Expressing her views on the Union Budget 2024-2025 presented by Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman today, Jyoti Mayal, President, Travel Agents Association of India and Vice Chairperson, FAITH, said, “The budget for tourism is a huge letdown. Out of 28 states and 8 Union Territories, the FM focuses on the infrastructure development of a couple of states, which is quite disappointing. However, the promotion of a religious corridor in these states is appreciated. The only word of inclusion is the reduction of TDS for all e-commerce companies and a simpler tax regime for foreign shipping companies’ operations in the domestic market for cruise tourism.” She added that the focus on skilling is appreciable but where will the jobs be created in the tourism sector unless the employer can absorb more and pay the skilled youth?

Neeraj Malhotra has been re-elected as the Chairman of the TAAI Northern Region for the next term 2024-2026 at TAAI’s Annual Meeting. The other office bearers who were reinstated includes: Anurag Agrawal as Hon. Secretary and Neeraj Kumar Sarna as Hon. Treasurer. They were elected unanimously for the next term indicating the support and trust shown by members.  

Anoop Kanuga, MC Member, TAAI, said, “The potential to host weddings in J&K is immense, primarily due to its scenic locations and cultural richness. To tap it, the govt can help support the MICE community by improving infrastructure, strengthening security and offering subsidies to attract event organisers and agents to host weddings and MICE tourism events in the region.”

Ahead of the Union Budget, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, said, “To make India a preferred travel destination, the Union Budget 2024-2025 must focus on infrastructure, more favourable GST rates and GST credit, industry status including travel operators, development of new airports, and rapid expansion in rail, road and waterways.”

At ‘Tourism Beyond G-20 Revealing J& K’s Tourism Treasures’ organised by the J&K Committee of ICC, Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, said, “The significance of environment-friendly travel to Kashmir, is to guarantee the prosperity of the state, the necessity of preserving the environment and creating more equitable tourist initiatives.”

To boost domestic tourism and inbound arrivals, India needs to frame policies that could introduce uniformity in the sector. Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, believes that it is high time that India should come up with a National Tourism Policy, which will escalate investments and augment tourism’s share in the economy.