Team Jyoti Mayal clean sweeps TAAI elections; women empowerment one of the focus areas of the new team

Jyoti Mayal has taken over as the new President of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) after recording an overwhelming victory in the election for the new national leadership. The election took place in Mumbai on Thursday (November 28) for the term 2019-21. 

Mayal defeated Sanjay Narula,  Managing Director, Apex Travel & Tours who earlier held position of Vice President in the association.

Mayal is now also the second women President of the association after Neeraj Ghei who became the President of the association in 1997. Mayal and her husband Balbir Mayal, Chairman, New Airways Travels now have a unique distinction of being first husband and wife duo who became TAAI’s President. 

As per trade insiders, Mayal’s victory was almost certain thanks to her vast experience in various leadership positions at the association apart from her positive equation with its membership across the country.

Jay Bhatia has been elected (unopposed) as the Vice President of the association. Bettaiah Lokesh and Shreeram Patel have been elected as the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer respectively. 

The new Managing Committee of TAAI includes Rajan Sehgal (New Delhi), Anoop Kanuga (Mumbai), Paras Lakhia (Ahmedabad), P Murugesan (Chennai), R Venkatachalam (Trichy), Devesh K. Aggarwal (Kolkata) and Sunil Notani (Bhopal).

While speaking to Travel Trade Insider, Mayal said, “My biggest priority is to get industry status. Even if it not industry status in one go, we want to work closely with key industry stakeholders like the government, suppliers and airlines to have our say in the policies that are drafted by the government. We need to be the face for our own industry. We dont want bodies like FICCI or CII to talk on our behalf. We are the actual voice of the industry.”

“I feel that when we look at the travel and tourism industry, the aviation part is overlooked. I understand that airline commissions have gone but we need to start building on it again because it is an integral part of our industry. We need to speak for ourselves,” she added.

Mayal also shared that she wants to see more women taking the key roles in the industry as they are multi-taskers.

“I want women should actively participate in affairs that matter to our sector. They are part of the industry but don’t get involved in things like meetings. It is always men around. So, I want to change this scenario. Even in our committee, I am the only woman,” said Mayal. 

She is mulling to have a women cell that is an integral part of the association.