In a recent development, the IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) Executive Committee has appointed Gurinder Singh as the Chairman of Punjab Chapter with effect from January , 2025. He is the Managing Director, Discover Punjab Tours & Travels.
Singh is in tourism industry since 2004 and with his vast experience of 21 years, he will contribute to IATO. With his close contacts with Punjab Tourism Government officials, IATO will closely work with the Punjab Government.
It’s that time of the year when most of the Indian travel trade bodies are headed to their annual
conventions. Early in October, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) concluded their 39th Annual Convention in Bhopal. And only last week, the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) were headed to Tawang for their Convention that was scheduled from December 3 – 8, a long six-day affair, and now, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) is headed to Vietnam next month for the same.
Trade body annual conventions are a great platform to get a good peek into where their respective representative sectors stand, discuss issues at hand, draw up a strategy for the sector to chart a better future, and for the association itself to remain relevant in the ever-evolving market place and to the needs and requirements of their members.
These annual gatherings are also occasions where the associations should look at creating an efficient, well-oiled and thoroughly synergised path forward for their sectors in close co-ordination with the government policies, policy-makers and their aspirations or target from the sector. This is particularly true for trade bodies such as IATO and ATOAI, among others, for the very fact that for tourism, particularly inbound and sub- sectors like Adventure, MICE, etc., to thrive, there needs to be very active co-ordination mechanism between the public and private sectors.
Tourism is a pretty much private sector-led enterprise, but cannot do much on its own if not supported by the political and bureaucratic will. The sooner it is understood, especially by the policy-makers, the better it is. Conventions will go a long way in charting the right course for the sector’s successful role for the ambitious Amrit-kaa ltourism target that seeks Adventure Tourism to contribute USD 800 billion or the targeted USD 3 trillion tourism economy by 2047.
IATO’s, ATOAI’s, or ADTOI’s, such Conventions’ success or failure greatly hinge on the fact that how successful have they been in driving these messages home with real tangible results on the ground, and not merely the bureaucratic or political lip services that these events get.
Shayan Mallick
shayan.mallick02@gmail.com
The FAITH Elections for the Post of Office Bearers were held yesterday in New Delhi. The following Board Members of FAITH have been elected unopposed for Office Bearers’ positions for next two years’ term of 2024 to 2026.
CHAIRMAN – Puneet Chhatwal, Hotel Association of India (HAI)
VICE CHAIRMAN – (Two Posts)
i) Ajeet Bajaj, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI)
ii) Ajay Prakash, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI)
GENERAL SECRETARY – Rajiv Mehra, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO)
TREASURER – Kanwarjit Singh Sawhney, Indian Tourist Transporters Association (ITTA)
The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) is the Policy Federation 10 National Associations in India representing the entire Tourism and Hospitality Industry of the country which includes ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI, TAFI) and Cause Partner – AIRDA.
The federation was formed with an objective to have a collective industry voice to envisage the growth of tourism, travel and hospitality sector of India and achieve our target.
Rajiv Mehra, General Secretary – FAITH, thanked Homa Mistry, who was the Returning Officer for the elections.
Mehra on behalf of all the elected Office Bearers assured to work cohesively for the benefit of the tourism and hospitality industry and fulfill the dreams of Prime Minister and achieve the targets of set by him.
Tourism Minister Shekhawat announced that the ministry is working with the External Affairs Ministry to position India as a leading global travel destination by engaging with key international markets. As part of these efforts, India is exploring visa-on-arrival for top destinations and recently issued one lakh free visas on World Tourism Day to boost inbound travel.
While domestic tourism has surged post-pandemic, international arrivals remain sluggish. The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has called on the government to increase advertising and overseas promotional campaigns to attract foreign tourists. Despite some recovery, inbound tourism is still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels.
According to a report by hospitality consulting firm Hotelivate, India welcomed 9.2 million foreign tourists in 2023, a decrease from over 10 million in 2018 and 2019. The IATO attributes this decline to insufficient budgetary support for international marketing, particularly in key markets like the UK, Canada, and the US, which are crucial for driving foreign arrivals.
Pradeep Shetty, President of the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), highlighted that around 80% of the hospitality sector remains unorganised. He projected that 50,000 to 60,000 new hotel rooms will be added in the next five years, with 88,706 branded rooms expected to be part of the pipeline by March 2024, indicating potential growth in the organised segment.
The Inbound Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has sought immediate government assistance as tour operators continue to suffer in the wake of sluggish FTA’s which still remain below 2019 levels.
The major reason for little revival in this sector can be attributed to lack of budgetary support for publicity abroad and withdrawal of incentives to tour operators which could be utilised for promotion in the key source market like the UK, Canada, the USA, Germany, Australia, France and Russia, the apex body said.
There is no gain saying that the tourism sector suffered the most during the pandemic. However since then, there has been a robust revival in Domestic Tourism and outbound travel. This is mainly due to pent up demand, allure of foreign locations and incentives like visa fee waiver announced by multiple countries. They have wooed our tourists as that boosts their economy but unfortunately there have been no such measures from our country and that has led to lack of foreign tourist numbers in India. Besides, the incentives announced by neigbouring countries have also weaned some foreign tourists away from our country, the association states.
Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, said, “In 2018 and 2019, India had 10.56 million and 10.93 million foreign tourist arrivals, 2023 which was a normal year the figure was 92.36 lakhs. Even this year we are not expecting 2019 level’s to be reached. At best we are expecting 7-9 percent growth over 2019 levels.”
He added, “Travel and Tourism created 79.86 million (direct + indirect) jobs and 15.34 per cent of jobs in the 2019–2020 year. Forex earnings in 2020 were in the tune of USD 7 billion In terms of GDP during 2019–2020, tourism contributed 5.19 per cent (direct + indirect). These figures indicate potential both in terms of contribution to GDP as well as the tourism potential. By that yardstick we can easily assess the huge opportunity lost for the country”.
In the wake of this, IATO urges the government to restore, if possible, hike the budget for promotion abroad. Overseas advertisements both electronic and print and road shows abroad should resume. Besides, a PLI on the lines introduced for the manufacturing sector can be given to tour operators as that can help in earning foreign exchange and with this money they can promote the destinations abroad. Besides, the government should consider visa fee waiver as the resultant increase in numbers would easily offset the revenue lost in terms of visa fees.
These measures together can help in restoring FTA’s in India, IATO says.
The Iran Tourism Board has successfully wrapped up its three-city roadshow in India, designed to highlight Iran’s rich cultural heritage and diverse travel opportunities. The tour kicked off in Mumbai on September 10th, moved to Hyderabad on September 12th, and concluded today in New Delhi.
The roadshow featured prominent Iranian dignitaries, including Aliasghar Shalbafian Hosseinabadi, Deputy of Tourism at the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Ministry; Moslem Shojaee, Director General for International Tourism Promotion; H.E. Mofidifar, Acting Consul General of Iran in Mumbai; and Rahul Narwekar, Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
The primary goal was to strengthen tourism ties between India and Iran. By engaging with Indian travel agents and tourism professionals, the Iran Tourism Board aimed to establish solid business connections and position Iran as a top travel destination. The initiative showcased 11 Iranian hoteliers and travel agents who explored business opportunities and presented diverse tourism packages. The roadshow also included collaborations with key organizations such as MTOA, TAAI, TAFI, and IATO to boost Iran’s visibility among their members.
Hosseinabadi remarked, “We are thrilled to present the beauty and historical richness of Iran to the Indian market. This roadshow has provided a unique platform to share Iran’s cultural tapestry, including our historic landmarks and renowned hospitality. We look forward to deepening our partnerships with Indian travel agents and encouraging more Indian travellers to explore the wonders of Iran.”
H.E. Mofidifar, delivered keynote address. He passionately spoke about the unshakable bond between India and Iran, spotlighting Mumbai as a vital bridge that links the two nations. He emphasized the strategic significance of the Chabahar Port project, a game-changer for regional trade and connectivity, and urged the Indian public to discover the real Iran, beyond media portrayals, through direct engagement and travel.
India has emerged as a significant source of international tourists to Iran. In 2023, Iran welcomed approximately 5,868,421 international visitors, with Indian tourists constituting a notable portion of this figure. The number of Indian visitors exceeded 58,000, reflecting a 31% increase from the previous year.
Narwekar, praised the ever-strengthening ties between India and Iran, recalling the successful hosting of an Iranian MP delegation last year. He welcomed the expansion of these relations and spoke of the bright future of cooperation between the two countries.
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