Tag Archives: FAITH

Faith associations meet new Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy

A number of FAITH association heads met with the new Cabinet Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoNER, G. Kishan Reddy and welcomed him on his taking over the charge in his office. The delegation comprised of Nakul Anand, Chairman, FAITH; Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO & Hony. Secretary FAITH, Jyoti Mayal,  President, TAAI & Vice Chairman FAITH, P.P. Khanna, President, ADTOI & Board Member FAITH; and Ravi Gosain, Vice President, IATO. Members of the delegation assured full support to the Minister for the revival of tourism and sought similar support from him. The Minister assured all his support to the industry.

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FAITH urges CMs for relief on statutory obligations

FAITH has urged the chief ministers of all states for proportionate relief on statutory obligations to the pandemic hit tourism industry and other measures. With almost no business expected for tourism, travel and hospitality companies they have requested a complete waiver of all statutory expenses for FY 2021-22 without any penalties. These expenses include all fixed electricity and other utility charges, excise duties, property taxes, interstate tourist transport taxes, waiver of SGST, or any other local taxes. They have also asked for an automatic renewal of all licenses, permits, permissions, which were expiring in FY 2021-22 without any financial charges or penalties; Industry status for tourism travel & hospitality; refund of unutilised GST credit lying with state governments to the tourism, travel & hospitality players to get immediate liquidity; reduction of VAT on state aviation turbine fuel and special reduction of state level airport taxes to incentivize travel; reduction of license fees for performance & events to boost state MICE. For unorganised workers working with the tourism sector, who don’t have the safety net of PF/ ESI, coverage of sustenance wages and medical condition as a grant with ‘direct transfer’. Special recognition of tourism travel and hospitality micro small & medium enterprises choosing work from home services as an additional option under the relevant provisions. FAITH further asked for permission to leverage open spaces such as terraces and adjacent areas for F&B to enable compliance with social distancing norms while also enhancing the eating out experience to stimulate the industry demand. Other demands include state level tourism task force along with representatives all FAITH member associations; liquor VAT under GST and reduction of state liquor VAT / excise to stimulate …

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ITM panel discussion to be moderated by associations’ heads of FAITH

Subhash Goyal, Hony. Secretary General, FAITH, has said that the knowledge conclave at Virtual ITM 2021, will have various sessions, and each of them will be chaired by the head of one of the 10 member associations of FAITH. “There is a session on adventure tourism, a session on MICE, as well as a session on medical tourism, where Dr. Naresh Trehan from Medanta will give a keynote address and it will also have Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, along with the chiefs of Max and Dr. Lal Pathlabs. There will be many other similar sessions on various topics, which will be open to everyone,” he added.

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ITM postponed, might be held in Dec-Jan: Subhash Goyal

India Tourism Mart (ITM), which was announced by the Tourism Minister to be held as a hybrid event, will not happen in November as was being planned earlier, revealed Subhash Goyal, Secretary General, FAITH. He said, “We had planned for the ITM to be held in November, but unfortunately, the Minister was not available owing to other commitments on those dates. We can now do it in end-December or beginning of January. We are in touch with the MOT for the same and will get a date very soon.”

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‘Need for National Tourism Council and Tourism COVID-19 Fund’: FAITH

FAITH organised the India Tourism Vision Day, which saw the Presidents of 10 member associations of FAITH discussing the way forward. In his address, Nakul Anand, Chairman, FAITH, said, “Like the way GST council is structured, Indian tourism needs to be structured through a constitutionally empowered legislative body-A national tourism council headed by our Honourable Prime Minister along with the presence of all chief ministers.” Also, he shared that a tourism Covid 19 Fund should be set up by the MOT where interest free funds are given to support the employees and the operating costs of tourism companies.

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FAITH in talks with MOT for hybrid ITM by 2020 end

Subhash Goyal, Secretary General, FAITH, has revealed that the Association is in discussion with Ministry of Tourism to host a hybrid ITM by the end of this year. He said, “One interaction with the government has happened; and we are still in the progress of deciding how we are going to conduct it, whether it will be entirely virtual or hybrid. However, we will have ITM by the end of this year and we hope to announce the exact dates very soon.”

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FAITH asks MOT to action negative American travel advisory to India

FAITH and its cause partner AIRDA, have requested the negative travel advisory from the USA to India to be addressed. FAITH Associations have requested the tourism minister to urgently take it up with Minister of External Affairs, for him to take up with his American counterpart for an immediate revision. The United States of America recently released a travel advisory, which rated level 4 for India (as on 23rd Aug 2020). On a scale of 1-4 this is the highest level of risk rating, carrying with it the advice of ‘do not travel’. As stated, reasons for the same, apart from restrictive COVID-19 protocols, the rating highlights terrorism, crimes against women and insurgency among others as concerns. The associations under FAITH have claimed that USA is the most important long-haul source market for India for most segments of travel. As India has begun the process of opening up its air corridors, such an advisory for India is detrimental to kickstarting all leisure, business & mice tourists from the USA. Additionally, travel advisory as such from the United States of America tends to send a wrong signal for the rest of the developed countries as they start opening up their international air travel. This advisory appears to have been last updated on 6th August 2020. The favourable revision of the travel advisory would be a big boost in beginning the process of creating a positive sentiment for travel, which will slowly put in motion revival for the inbound tourism industry

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India Tourism Mart (ITM) to be held virtually in November 2020: Subhash Goyal

Subhash Goyal, Hony. General Secretary, FAITH has suggested that India Tourism Mart (ITM) will be held by the end of November 2020. “This will help in promoting India to the tour operators all over the world.  Last two years, we had 250 buyers, this year in the virtual mart we hope to interact with more than 500 leading travel agents and tour operators from all over the world,” he said. Goyal also thanked the  Tourism Minister for agreeing to organise a joint meeting of the Indian travel agents and tour operators with the Minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri to sort out the pending issues of the tourism industry with Civil Aviation. FAITH also suggested for better coordination an Inter-Ministerial Task Force be formed chaired by the Tourism Minister consisting of mainly with Tourism, Civil Aviation, Commerce, Home, External Affairs & Railways along with the members of the tourism industry. An Inter-State Task Force should also be formed which should include all State Tourism Secretaries.  

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