Roadblocks in MOT registration

While Incredible India continues campaigning for its MOT registration among the trade, agents are facing difficulties in getting things in order to be eligible for the same.

Hazel Jain

The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) had recently invited the Incredible India team, led by Dr Sagnik Chowdhury, Deputy Director General & Regional Director (West & Central), Ministry of Tourism (MOT), Government of India, to create awareness among their members about the benefits of being an agency approved by the MOT and how one can avail its Marketing Development Assistance (MDA). Dr Chowdhury’s team showcased the process of approval, and the various incentive schemes that are associated with such accreditation. This is under the ‘Recognition of Travel Agents/ Tour Operators/ Tourist Transport Operator/ Adventure Tour Operator/ Domestic Tour Operator’ scheme.

Sameer Karnani, Managing Committee Member, TAAI & Owner of Arunodaya Travels, says that there are not many TAAI members registered by India Tourism. “This is not giving us the right kind of platform when we are talking to the ministry. Hence, we thought more and more members should register themselves with the MOT. The issue with this is the criterion for staff where IATA-approved staff is not recognised. It needs to be tourism trained staff only, and this is very hard to find,” he says. Karnani goes on to highlight a bigger problem faced by the industry today. “The industry is facing a drought in skilled manpower. Not just travel agents, even airlines and hotels are facing this. Not many students are actually enrolling for tourism training,” he explains.

His agency is also not recognised by the MOT. While he has filled the necessary forms, the bottleneck again is staff eligibility. “The type of staff we have are not eligible by MOT. So, we have started training them. Once they are ready, we will go ahead with the registration,” Karnani adds.