FAITH appoints new members

The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality elected its team of office bearers. Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC, remains Chairman, while Subhash Goyal has been elected its Secretary.

TT Bureau

FAITH has elected its new team of office bearers with Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC, reinstated as the Chairman. Anand was represented by Hotel Association of India (HAI), while Akshay Kumar, CEO, Mercury Himalayan Explorations, nominated by Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) is the new ViceChairman. The apex association has created an additional position of Vice-Chairman, and has elected Sunil Kumar R, CEO, Travel World, for the same. Kumar was nominated by Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), of which he is also the President. Subhash Goyal, Chairman, STIC Travel Group, nominated by Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) is the new Honorary Secretary of the organisation, while Garish Oberoi, Partner, Hotel Uberoi Anand, who was nominated by Federation of Hotels and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI), has been declared the Treasurer. Aashish Gupta continues his role as the Consulting CEO of FAITH. The election of the team was done unanimously by all the 10 member associations of FAITH. Goyal, said, “As far as the new team is concerned, we are already on the right track so we’ll continue with what we are doing. However, I will personally make an endeavour to closely work with the state tourism boards, state governments and also the central government, so that we may further carry on with using tourism for economic transformation of the country. We also know that Indian tourism industry is facing various challenges and problems, so FAITH being the apex organisation, will be taking up all those issues as well. We are also planning to start All India Convention, which will be the mother of all conventions where we would like all the ten associations to get involved and we will be requesting the President to inaugurate the same.” Talking about the path ahead, he informed that they are planning to form an organising committee for the convention, which will write to the president. “We will also bring out the FAITH newsletter, which will be circulated to the members. We want the taxation on tourism industry to not be more than 5 per cent, whether they are tour operators, hotels or transporters, we should be able to take input credits so that net effect of the taxes on the package or the product is not more than the 5 per cent. We will also set up GET INDIA Exhibition once again. Last time, Prime Minister of India attended it and we are planning another big exhibition jointly with Ministry of Commerce focusing on tourism,” he added.