Category Archives: Associations

TAFI convention delegates will be able to immerse themselves in a full-on Sarawak authentic experience with a tribal-inspired theme showcasing the best of its culture and gastronomical offerings. To be held for the first time in Kuching, Sarawak from 20-23 September, the TAFI convention will highlight Sarawak’s diverse ethnicities which comprise 28 ethnic tribes, all with their own unique traditions, lifestyles, music, food and handmade crafts. TAFI delegates will get to learn about Sarawak as an attractive multifaceted destination for the Indian market. Ajay Prakash, TAFI President, said, “Sarawak is a relatively unexplored destination for the Indian traveller. We anticipate that after the convention, our members will be inspired to promote tourism to this beautiful province since it can be a great venue for destination weddings, family travel and corporate events. We appreciate the support given by Sarawak Tourism Board, Business Events Sarawak, Tourism Malaysia and our Official Carrier, Malaysia Airlines.”

UNWTO has announced that the theme for World Tourism Day 2022 is ‘Rethinking Tourism’. The International Day of Observance will this year focus on re-imagining the sector’s growth, both in terms of size and relevance. The Republic of Indonesia will host the official day (27 September), though all UNWTO Member States, as well as non-members and stakeholders from across the private sector, are being invited to host their own celebrations as well as to promote the day and its central theme. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “The potential of tourism is enormous, and we have a shared responsibility to make sure it is fully realized. On World Tourism Day 2022, UNWTO calls on everyone, from tourism workers to tourists themselves, as well as small businesses, large corporations, and governments to reflect and rethink what we do and how we do it.” World Tourism Day has been held on 27 September each year since 1980. The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, paving the way for the establishment of UNWTO five years later.

According to IATA Economics’ Chart, The jet fuel price rose by more than 70% during the first 6 months of 2022, marking one of  the steepest increases since at least 2002 (see chart), and causing unprecedent pressure in terms of cost management for the airline industry. Faced with this major cost increase, it is encouraging to note that the global supply of oil recovered in July, and this upward trend is expected by IEA (International Energy Agency)to last till at least the end of the year. The Brent crude oil price already fell by USD 30 per barrel from its peak in June to USD 96 per barrel on 18 August. As suggested by the downward-sloping futures curve, the market expects the oil price to continue trending down till at least next year

KB Kachru, Chairman Emeritus & Principal Advisor, South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) and Vice President, HAI, spoke at the 2nd International Conference on Hospitality and Tourism – Revival Strategies, and said that the industry needs to appreciate and boost the domestic tourism that has revived the sector after the pandemic. He also spoke about the need to be in touch with the market trends like staycation as it emerged with the onset of work from home.

IATO has thanked the Government for withdrawing completely 5 percent Tax Collection At Source (TCS) charged on sale of overseas tour packages to foreign tour operators. Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, said, “This means that both foreign individuals and FTOs (buyers) buying overseas tour packages from the Indian Tour Operators will be exempted from TCS provisions.”

Domestic passenger traffic was around 7% lower in July 2022 compared to around 10.5 million in June 2022, given some impact of the cyclicality in passenger travel, mainly arising from the lean period during monsoon coupled with impact on leisure travel due to hardening of air travel fares, revealed ICRA.

Goa government and TTAG have urged the Centre to extend e-visas facility to UK travellers. If e-visas are not issued to Britishers in the coming tourist season, the trade fears fewer British visitors will visit Goa. The UK has been excluded from the list of nations that are eligible for e-visas. “We are expecting some positive news in the next 15 to 20 days,” Nilesh Shah, President Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG).

Thanking the government for considering its appeal for earmarking an ECLGS for the sector, Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, VP, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), said, “The decision to approve an additional ECLGS worth Rs.50,000 Cr specifically for hospitality and tourism sectors is welcome. The additional line of credit was much needed by the hospitality sector which is still grappling with massive debts and is simultaneously trying to keep business running. Several hospitality establishments cannot sustain operations without sufficient liquidity, but the extended ECLGS could help businesses buy some more time to keep the wheels in motion.”

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism saw a strong rebound in the first five months of 2022, with almost 250 million international arrivals recorded. This compares to 77 million arrivals from January to May 2021 and means that the sector has recovered almost half (46%) of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. “The recovery of tourism has gathered pace in many parts of the world, weathering the challenges standing in its way,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. He also advises caution in view of the “economic headwinds and geopolitical challenges which could impact the sector in the remainder of 2022 and beyond.”

TAFI has recently announced a new chapter in Jammu Kashmir. This will be its 12th one in the country so far. Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary Tourism, said the initiative will help tourism. He said, “TAFI did not have a presence here until now. They also met some of our local tour operators and many of them have also become TAFI members now. I’m sure this will boost tourism here and the trade will benefit.”