24^th July 2020

To All Members

SUBJECT: Update on IATO Activities (Monday, 13^th July to Sunday, 19^th July 2020)

Dear Members

Greetings

Please find appended relevant activities of our association for the period (Monday, 13^th July to Sunday, 19^th July 2020).

Segments covered are                

1. Communication / Letters that addressed key issues
2. Webinars/ Panel Discussions/Circulars/Meetings

Request your feedback to further the content of our weekly report. 

1. Communication / Letters that addressed key issues

Segment 1 update sequence by date: 13,15,17, July

Monday, 13^th July 

• Regarding full refund of advance paid for a,) Palace on Wheels (Luxury Train) b) Wildlife Safaris in Ranthambore National Park and canceled due to Covid-19 

On the date, IATO wrote to Shri Alok Gupta, Principal Secretary & Commissioner Tourism, Government of Rajasthan on the above subject and requested to issue necessary directives to the concerned authorities in Rajasthan Tourism/RTDC and Ranthambore National Park to give a full refund to the tour operators with Nil cancellations charges and sought plans by RTDC on the operation of Palace on Wheels.

• Request Regarding Guidelines/Criteria for registration Tourist Boats as Tourist Transport Operators 

On date, IATO wrote to Mrs. Meenakshi Sharma, Director General Tourism, and sought revision in the guideline for the inclusion of Tourist Boat Operators to get themselves registered as Tourist Transport Operators.

Wednesday, 15^th July

• Regarding VC meeting with Hon’ble Minister for Commerce and SEIS benefit to Tour Operators on Foreign Exchange Earnings

On date IATO wrote to Mr. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, President - Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India, Vice President -The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India on the above subject. It requested FHRAI not to push any demand to the Ministry of Commerce or Finance, of bypassing tour operators from getting SEIS benefits as this will badly affect the tour operators’ business and they will not be able to survive and in turn this will be loss of business for hotels also. 

Friday, 17^th July

• Request to continue SEIS benefits to Tour Operators for their hard work in increasing Foreign Tourists Arrivals, earning valuable Foreign Exchange and creating millions of Jobs

On the date, IATO wrote to Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and Industry on the above subject and requested for a meeting in person or through video conferencing on any date/time as per his convenience so that IATO can explain the above matters in greater detail.  

Copy of the letter was marked to the Secretary, Spl Secretary and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 

• Request for an appointment – regarding Representation on the Eligibility of Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS) benefit to Inbound Tour Operators (Tour operators)

On date IATO wrote to Shri Balesh Kumar, Director General, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence regarding the request for a meeting in person or through VC as per his convenience on any date/time next week on the above subject.

2.        Webinars/ Panel Discussions/Circulars/Meetings

Segment 2 update sequence by date: 14,15,18, July

Tuesday, 14^th July

• The nomination of Tour Operators for participation at the JATA Online Travel Mart, scheduled for the 6th & 7th of August, 2020.

To date, All Members (Recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India) were informed of the above mail received from India Tourism Tokyo. As per the criteria mentioned by JATA, IATO has been asked to nominate 10 Tour Operators, post which  

India Tourism Tokyo will scrutinize the profile of sellers and will confirm their participation. 

Wednesday, 15^th July

• PATA India webinar "Tourism the economic Power House in an evolving landscape" organized on 15th July 2020 at 11 am.

Members were informed on Tuesday, 14^th of July on the above subject.
 

Saturday, 18^th July
 

Dekho Apna Desh Webinar organized on 18th July 2020 titled “ The Mystical Triangle Maheshwar, Mandu & Omkareshwar”

Members were informed on the 14^th.

All the above UPDATES are available on IATO WEBSITE

Rahul Chakravarty

COO