IATO all set for next convention

The new IATO team discussed important issues, including the demand over SEIS, with its members at a luncheon meeting in New Delhi recently.  It was announced that the 38th IATO Convention will be held from 29 September to 2 October at Sambhaji Nagar in Maharashtra.

Nisha Verma

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) recently held its luncheon meeting at The Park, New Delhi, where Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, announced that their meeting with Union Minister Piyush Goyal on the issue of SEIS did not bear fruit. On this occasion, he also revealed the dates for upcoming convention of the association in Maharashtra.

Convention preps

Mehra announced that the 38th IATO Convention will take place from 29 September to 2 October at Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra. “On 29 September, there will be inauguration in the evening. There will be business sessions on 30 September and 1 October, and post-convention tours will begin from 2 October. While there are not many post tours that can be offered in that area, but we are creating interesting itineraries of what is there. We are almost close to finalising the hotels. Apart from that, Aurangabad or Sambhaji Nagar, as it is known now, has two airports—Shirdi, which is 40 km away and Aurangabad, which is in the city. Those who let us know in advance of arriving in Shirdi, we will provide them transport from there, which we have decided in the executive committee,” he said.

What after SEIS?

Mehra informed that Goyal clearly said SEIS is finished and will never come back. “It is very disappointing for us because we were using that money for promotions. However, we have written to the Honourable Prime Minister that if you cannot reinstate SEIS, please give us the money in some other form, so that we can do our overseas promotions. With that, the country will get foreign exchange and employment. The government has admitted that inbound tourism has still not revived. Still, no one is willing to listen,” he argued.

“We need to compete. But it becomes difficult as the government has withdrawn marketing and promotion support in foreign countries. Ended SEIS, not given any alternative benefit, GST is as high as 20-23 per cent without any input tax credit, whereas neighbouring countries are charging 6-8 per cent. To attract tourists, we need to holistically look at all these issues. As regards the argument of revenue loss, it would be made up more than 100 times, as it has a positive multiplier impact on the overall economy,” he explained.

Mehra believes that the PM had once read his email earlier, and he will again do the same. “He is the only person who will understand us and revert,” he claimed.

MOT registration

Many members at the luncheon raised the issue of not being able to register easily on MOT’s NIDHI portal. Speaking on the same, he said, “Firstly when the NIDHI Portal was rolled in, there was some problem of filling up details and get registered. However, we spoke to MOT and finally in February they agreed that we need to only send an email to the NIDHI Portal and those who are already registered and active members, their data will be automatically transferred to the NIDHI Portal. This has started and hence it’s become easy for us. The members get the password and they can start using it. There are hardly any delays now, and in case of any delay members can contact IATO secretariat and we will help them out.”

Overseas promotions

Another issue at hand was international promotions after closing down of overseas tourism offices. Mehra said they are extending their help to embassies for the same. “IATO is now involved with the embassies, as more than 60 embassies are in touch with us already for information and details. We are providing them with all kinds of data as per their requirement. I and Vice President Ravi Gosain have been addressing various meeting being held with the tour operators in the embassies,” he said.