Prasenjit Chakraborty - Mumbai The Western Region Chapter of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) organised a meeting in Mumbai recently. The purpose of the meeting was to help its members embrace technology and also to explore alternate revenue models. The meeting also witnessed a presentation from Nuvama Wealth.
Ajay Prakash, President of TAFI, said that the travel business has changed enormously, and technology is a reality now. “We need to embrace technology and, at the same time, look for alternate revenue models beyond hotels and ticketing,” exhorted Prakash. Describing Nuvama’s presentation as an excellent proposition, he said, “I think there is synergy here, and we need to work on this.”
According to Prakash, the airlines have become very rigid in their approach now. “The relationship that existed earlier is a thing of the past,” he pointed out. Prakash said it is imperative now to create products beyond just travel. “We need to create experiences and amplify lifestyles. We need to go beyond what we have been doing all these years,” pointed out Prakash.
Speaking to TravelBiz Monitor on the sidelines of the event, Jay Kantawala, Chairman, Western India Chapter, TAFI, said that they want to add value to the business of their members. “We want to make a difference to our members; at the end of the day, we are all in business and have to flourish,” pointed out Kantawala. He also said that their next meeting will focus on technology. Kantawala appealed to members to participate in every meeting and raise questions on important issues. “This will help both the association and the industry,” he said. Around 80 members participated in the meeting.
