7th May, 2020

To All Members

Sub: Update on IATO (20th April to 2nd May 2020)

Dear Members

Greetings!

It has always been an earnest effort to communicate with you all the pertinent issues and activities of your association so that valuable inputs can be gleaned from you and we together can scale new heights as the leading body of our industry.

Please find appended below the activities at IATO for the period 20th April to 2nd May 2020 for your perusal.

With regards,

Rahul Chakravarty

COO
 

  1.    Pieces of Communication

21st April

  • IATO wrote to Mrs. Usha Padhee, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India drawing her attention to her office memorandum no. F. No. AV-29011/27/2020-DT Dated 16th April 2020 on the subject the Refund of Air Fare during the lockdown period, suspending domestic and international flight operations . IATO has forwarded the letter written JS MOCA to DG MOT GOI for the full refund of air fare for the cancellations received due to cancellation of Visa/E-visas and withdrawal of international flights commencing 1st February 2020 onwards due to which foreign tourists could not travel to India. This has resulted in IATO members cancelling domestic flights of their clients and they need full refund of the air fare of such cancellations without levy of any cancellations charges. On Website under IATO Update 21st April

23rd April

On the 23rd of April, IATO three letters were sent addressed to Chief Minister, Tourism Minister and Secretary Tourism of Maharashtra on the subject: - Survival Measures/Relief Package to the tourism industry. The letters were sent to Vasuki Sundaram, Chapter Chair, Maharashtra. Similar letters have been sent to MP, Gujarat, Himachal, Goa and Assam 

24th April

  • Members were appraised vide circular dated 24th April 2020 on the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification Programme, Letter no. EON: TT/2/2018 dated April 20, 2020 from the Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, on the above subject. Members are requested to encourage their staff and officials to undergo the course. In this period of Lockdown, it will provide an opportunity for training and skill development

25th April

  • IATO wrote to Mr. Nakul Anand, Chairman FAITH to file writ against Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India letter no. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 29th March 2020. Later on the idea was dropped after legal consultation

27th April

  • On 27TH April IATO wrote to Sh. Prahlad Singh Patel, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Government of India on the Implementation of Tax Refund for Tourists Scheme to Mitigate Impact of Covid-19. IATO has proposed that this would be an opportune time to activate the Tax Refund for Tourists (TRT) scheme which is provisioned under section 15 of the IGST Act. This scheme has been enthusiastically advocated for by IATO for the past several years.

Copies were sent to Smt. Meenakshi Sharma Director General Tourism, Shri Piyush Goyal, Honourable Minister, Ministry of Commerce, Industries & Railways, Government of India, Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary DPIIT, Sh. Darpan Jain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce

29th April

  • On the 29th of April 2020, IATO has written to the Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on Formulation of Survival and Revival plans for the tourism industry – Covid-19.

The above note has also gone on the 1st of May to Mr. T. Kabilan, I.D.A.S., Director (NE States),Niti Aayog ,Government of India under the subject: Identification of problems, effective solutions and formulation of plans for the tourism industry – Covid-19. A meeting has been called by Niti Aayog on Monday, the 4th May 2020 at 12 noon on the subject.
 

On the 2nd of May a copy was also sent to Secretary Tourism, Government of India stating about the 4th May meeting.

  • On the 29th of April 2020 IATO wrote to Mrs. Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Government of India Regarding Creation of National Tourism Task Force. A national tourism task force of all relevant ministries of the Central Government along with ministry of tourism and Chief Secretaries of State governments and industry stakeholders to be created. This should be with legislative powers on the lines of GST council for state wise standardised tourism response”. IATO mentioned in its note that that in the list of Task Force, heads of all the 10 tourism and hospitality associations should be clearly mentioned under the Umbrella of FAITH, so that all communication from ADG T office can reach directly to all the Associations without any confusion and communication gap.

30th April

  • IATO will join Niti Ayog for The Empowered Group number 6, constituted vide O.M No. 40-3/2020/DM-I(A) dated 29/03/2020 to address the issues pertaining to identification of problems, effective solutions and formulation of plans with important stakeholders of the Tourism and hotel industry in India and the response of the industry in the background of COVID 19 pandemic. The EG 6 would take stock of the situation after interacting with all the stakeholders. The empowered Group Meeting with Niti Ayog has been rescheduled for Monday, the 4th May 2020.

2nd May

  • On the information from Mr. Sanjay Razdan, on the 2nd of May IATO wrote a letter to Mr. Eric D’Cunha President, Association of Jungle Lodges, Kanha Pugmark Resort, Village Khatia, Kanha National Park, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh on the subject Refund of advance payments made by the tour operators to the jungle lodges in Madhya Pradesh

2. Webinars and Panel Discussions

20th April

  • Ladakh: Explore the Unexplored by Global Himalayan Expedition under MOT GOI Dekho Apna  Desh webinar series.
  • TravTalk Tourism Conclave on 21st April 2020 at 10 am onwards
  • PHDCCI Law & Justice Committee Interactive Session with Mr. Justice V.K. Rao and Ms. Justice Rekha Palli on “Law under Lockdown: Legal Consequences of COVID-19 on Employment Arrangements”, Monday, 20th April 2020 at 4:30 p

21st April

 

23rd April

IATO Webinar on Friday, the 24th April 2020 at 5.30 pm on “Legal strategies for Employer & Employee relationship in light of Notification issued by Govt. of India/state government - its effects”

We are grateful to Mr. Amir Singh Pasrich, Sr. Advocate, Supreme Court and Chairman of Law & Justice Committee, PHDCCI, Mrs. Anjana Gosain - IATO Legal Advisor and Advocate Delhi High Court, and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the successful webinar

 

24th April

  • Ministry of Tourism Webinar on Cuisine of Lucknow being organised on Saturday, the 25th April 2020 at 11 am

27th April

  • ICPB webinar on ‘Managing Your Human Capital, from 1500 – 1600 hrs on 27th April 2020.

 

28th April

29th April

  • IATO Webinar on Thursday, the 30th April 2020 at 4.30 pm regarding Employer & Employee relationship in light of Covid -19 and Lockdown and how to move forward

30th April

  • An Invitation for the Webinar “Tourism Insights & Strategies to the COVID 19 Crisis” on 1st May 2020 at 7.00 pm from Mr. J K Mohanty, Convener, Tourism & Entrainment Panel CII and Regional Chapter Chairman (East), IATO.
  •    ICPB Webinar- Way forward for Convention Centres and Hotels, at 12:00 noon on 2nd May 2020. 
  • Schedule of Dekho Apna Desh Webinars on 1st and 2nd May 2020 being organised by the Ministry of Tourism Government of India
  • With regard to employer – employee factor, a webinar was held on the 30th of April at 4.30 pm for all the members and also as per the advice of IATO lawyer the one major point that came up was that It is apparent that no specific industry has been put in exclusion clause of the DMA. It would be appropriate for all the members to take individual call as to how to deal with their employees, build a consensus, since there cannot be any straight-jacket formula in the period of lockdown.

1st May
 

Study on Development of Tourism Strategy for the BIMSTEC - Online Survey for Private Sector Tourism Operators

3. PR AGENCY
 

Our PR Agency is doing a commendable job by giving IATO coverage in leading National dailies and on line.