9th  April 2020  

Mrs. Meenakshi Sharma

Director General (Tourism)

Ministry of Tourism

Government of India

Transport Bhawan

New Delhi -110001 

Respected Madam,  

 

Sub: 1)  REGARDING REVISION IN MDA SCHEME GUIDELINES and

         2) REFUND OF PARTICIPATION FEE PAID FOR ITB 2020

 

As you are aware, our small tour operators are facing financial crunch due to zero business and nil cash flow. At this stage small tour operators are looking for the avenues to get their funds from various resources so that they can meet the expenses and pay their staff salaries.   

I am writing this to request you to look into the following two issues, which needs to be looked into on priority, which will help the small tour operators:-

1)    REGARDING REVISION IN MDA SCHEME GUIDELINES:-

a)   We have been writing to the Ministry for last 2 years to remove the clause of requirement of 5% increase in turnover in last 3 cumulative years and also discussed this personally number of times. But the matter is pending for long.  This is the time for the ministry to help the small tour operators so that once situation improves, they can start their promotions and also can participate in overseas markets.  

b)   All pending cases of MDA reimbursement may kindly be settled immediately. Also all cases which are pending due to technical reasons especially due to requirement of 5% increase, may be considered sympathetically for some help which can bring some hope of getting some revenue for survival.   

2)     REFUND OF PARTICIPATION FEE PAID FOR ITB 2020:-

a)   As requested earlier,  refund of participation fee paid by our members for ITB -2020 as exhibitors, which is now postponed till next year by the organizers to be made at the earliest. All our small tour operators are now requesting for the refund under the present crisis of Covid-19 so that refund amount can be utilized during this difficult time of cash crunch. 

b)   Also refund to be made by the Ministry to all the exhibitors who have made payment for the space booked for participation in other travel marts/exhibitions in India Pavilion.

May we request you to kindly process the refund at the earliest. No sooner you confirm we will request our members to forward you the bank details.

Our small tour operators are in dire need of funds and looking for support from the ministry, hence above may kindly be looked into on priority and favourbly.

Thanking you and with best regards,

Sincerely,

Pronab Sarkar

President