Category Archives: Associations

The Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) had the honour of meeting Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Cabinet Minister for Culture & Tourism , to discuss key matters impacting India’s outbound tourism industry. The discussion focused on the TCS (Tax Collected at Source) issue, where the Minister gave his valuable time and attention to the concerns raised by the OTOAI delegation. The meeting reflected the Ministry’s openness to dialogue and the importance of supporting the travel trade sector. OTOAI also extended a formal invitation to the Minister to attend the upcoming OTOAI Moscow Convention 2025 as the Guest of Honour, further strengthening the association’s vision of collaboration with the government. The meeting was represented by OTOAI leadership, including Immediate Past President Riaz Munshi, Vice President Shravan Bhalla, General Secretary Sidharth Khanna, and Executive Committee Member Vineet Gopal. This marks another significant step in OTOAI’s efforts to advocate for India’s growing outbound tourism industry.

With the support of its members in Bihar, ADTOI has launched its fifteenth state chapter at a ceremony on 28th June 2025 in Patna. It was attended by state govt. officials, stakeholders of the industry from the state, ADTOI MC Team led by Ved Khanna, President, and members from Bihar. Nand Kishore, MD Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation of Patna was the Chief Guest. This initiative of ADTOI shall make the Chapter Office Bearers to work closely with the State Tourism authorities and stakeholders in the State to bring more domestic tourists to the state. The Chapter Chairman is Prabhat Kumar, Visit Bihar Destination Management, Secretary is Rajesh Kumar, Indian Tourist Bureau, the Treasurer is Sachin Sharma, Shyam Forex Tours & Travels. Khanna in his address emphasised the necessity of having State Chapter for coordination with State Tourism authorities and the stakeholders in the State to bring winds of change in the progressive growth of tourism that will bring economic benefits to the state in many ways. Members are requested to extend their full support to our Bihar Chapter in promoting the destinations in the State among the domestic tourists to increase the tourist traffic in the State. The association has also signed an MoU with Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority to jointly organise ‘ANDHRA PRADESH – ADTOI NATIONAL TOURISM MART-2025 from 17-19 September 2025 in Visakhapatnam. This initiative aims to position Andhra Pradesh as a leading destination for domestic tourism and will serve as a unique platform for industry stakeholders, tour operators and travel professionals to collaborate and showcase the diverse tourism offerings of the region.

Following the overwhelming success of the inaugural edition of ETAA Business Partners Meet 2024 which brought together over 100 travel agents and 25+ B2B partners including international and domestic tourism boards, hotels, DMCs, and VFS Global, the Enterprising Travel Agents Association (ETAA) is excited to announce the 2025 edition of this highly anticipated event on July 11, 2025 in Mumbai. Dharmesh Advani, ETAA National Board Member, shares, “This year, the response has been even more enthusiastic—all tables were sold out within two weeks. The event will feature engaging and informative presentations by Global Destinations, along with participation from leading DMCs, Malaysian tourism board, Airlines, and VFS. Our official insurance partner, Asego, will also be present to guide attendees on comprehensive travel insurance solutions.” The event is open to both ETAA Members and Non-Members — all B2C travel agents are welcome! Contact Abhijit Khadilkar at +919820092837 for more details or register directly here.

The 3-day OTOAI convention scheduled for 10 to 13 July in Moscow is just 10 days away!

FHRAI has announced revised dates for its 55 Annual Convention, now scheduled from 18-20 September at Conrad Bengaluru, instead of the earlier 12-14 September. The event will bring together over 1,000 industry leaders to chart the future of Indian hospitality through innovation, sustainability and collaboration.

Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) joined hands with Nexus DMC, launching the innovative NEXTAAl platform. This collaborative effort aims to revolutionise the travel industry, offering unparalleled benefits and opportunities to the association’s members. The aim is to empower travel excellence through this strategic partnership.

In a significant policy shift, VK Saxena, LG, Delhi has withdrawn the requirement for police-issued licences and NOCs for 7 trade categories, including hotels, motels, guest houses & eating houses. K B Kachru, President, HAI, hailed it as a landmark decision, stating it would boost Delhi’s appeal as a competitive & investment-friendly hospitality hub.

Yasha Mudgal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Tourism Department, Jammu & Kashmir, has said that they are planning to hold roadshows in the remaining part of the year to increase their interaction with the associations.” A calendar of roadshows has been submitted to Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister & Tourism Minister, J&K. Once he approves, it will start.”

Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, said the recent US travel advisory is unlikely to impact inbound tourism significantly. “The advisory covers areas not on regular tourist itineraries. Most American tourists visit Rajasthan, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka—not Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand,” he explained. Gosain added that “J&K has always been under the ‘Do Not Travel’ category, so it’s not new.” On Northeast India, he said, “Tourists usually stick to capital cities like Guwahati or those in Nagaland and Meghalaya, which are exempted.” He emphasised that organised leisure travel from the US remains unaffected by the advisory.

Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, says, “IATO members, after visiting Kashmir, as part of ‘Rubaroo with J&K’, will be better equipped to apprise their clients about the on-ground situation in the valley and how safe it is.” The association’s 22-member delegation is visiting Pahalgam and Srinagar to promote the destination after the unfortunate terror attack.