TravTalk India Online Magazine
The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India has welcomed a new leadership team following its elections on 5 December 2024. Led by Himanshu Patil, the team brings fresh energy and strategic focus to promote outbound tourism growth across India, with strengthened governance and a vision for enhanced regional outreach.
TT Bureau
The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) elected a new leadership teeam in the elections held on 5 December 2024. The new team, set to serve from 2024 to 2026, brings a fresh vision to propel outbound tourism in India to greater heights.
Himanshu Patil, Director,
Kesari Tours, was elected as the President, with Shravan Bhalla from High Flyer serving as Vice President. Sidharth Khanna from Khanna Enterprises (Regd.) was elected as General Secretary, while Monia Kapoor from Travel O Holidays was chosen as Joint Secretary. Gurdeep Singh Gujral from Gujral Tours and Travels was appointed as the Treasurer.
The election process was managed by Sanjay Datta, Managing Director, Airborne Holiday, who served as the Election Officer for the OTOAI elections. Speaking about his vision for the association, Patil, said, “The aim is to change the perception and to grow the association pan-India, especially in the Western region and the Southern side. The way OTOAI is working, we will do well in both these areas.”
One of the key concerns that the association is taking up with the Government of India is Good and Services Tax (GST). Commenting on this, Patil said, “That remains a key priority, particularly regarding GST. We are engaging with tax authorities and the finance ministry, presenting our case ahead of the upcoming budget. This remains on our agenda, and we are actively pursuing it.”
The six-member Executive Committee (EC) for the 2024-2026 term comprises Riaz Munshi, Adl Abdul Karim, Ankush Nijhawan, Rohit Shorey, Vineet Gopal, and Vinayak Laud.
The new leadership team officially began their duties on 6 December 2024. OTOAI has expressed its gratitude to the outgoing leadership for their outstanding contributions, which included organising impactful events, forming strategic partnerships, and signing multiple MoUs that expanded the association’s footprint.
