Is opening of state chapters the only way that travel trade associations can glorify themselves as a pan-India entity? Why metros like New Delhi and Mumbai need to be the epicenter of the national leadership?
I remember a few years back while talking to a New Delhi based veteran tour operator about the candidature of a South India based player for a national leadership post, this particular gentleman got very offended and asked me, “How is he going to attend meetings at the Ministry of Tourism?”.
So, is this justified that someone from Kerala or Assam is dissuaded from contesting election for a national leadership post just because they are not based where the ministry’s office is located? Especially, at a time when we are living in a digital age and the world has been connected seamlessly through digital platforms.
Probably, this is the reason that most of the trade associations lack a concrete digital strategy except ruing at their annual conventions on how online competitors are ‘robbing’ them business!
It is also appalling to see such an attitude considering we, the tourism industry, is supposed to bring people closer. Walk the talk is not everybody’s cup of tea, I suppose.
Any trade association that is against the idea of incorporating members from across the country in their managing committees has no right to project it as a ‘national’ entity.
The need for a strong regional presence in the national leadership is supported by the fact that the contribution of these regional centers for domestic, inbound and outbound tourism is phenomenal. Consider this, Maharashtra’s share in domestic tourist visits in 2018 was 6.4 percent while Karnataka’s share was 11.6 percent. New Delhi is missing from the top 10 states in domestic tourist visits for the year!
As of the FY 2018-19, Maharashtra contributes 13.88% of India’s GDP at current prices, followed by Tamil Nadu (8.59%) and the most populous state Uttar Pradesh (8.35%). Other states in the top five are Gujarat (7.92%) and Karnataka (7.87%). Five states of South India together account for close to 30% to India’s GDP. Clearly, India’s economic growth is not centered on selected markets.
The ongoing pandemic has further cemented the importance of the regional approach. Tourists are more inclined to explore nearby domestic destinations rather than travelling for long hours. This means that strengthening regional members should become more vital for trade associations. Thus, representation from different regions in national leadership needs to be a priority of pan India travel trade bodies.
If you look at regional associations like Tours & Travels Association of Andhra (TTAA), their role in educating and empowering their members has been exceptional. TTAA played a crucial part in Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority’s (APTA’s) formulation of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Trade (registration and facilitation) guidelines 2020, for registration of service providers. Andhra Pradesh is probably the first state to call for the registration of travel agents.
The all-important elections to decide the new leadership of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) is scheduled for March 6. Before deciding whom, you should cast your important vote ask your candidate how he plans to turn your association into a national one in a true sense.
About the author: Rohit Kaul is a travel trade journalist who for more than a decade is contributing articles on the tourism and hospitality sector in many leading national and international media platforms.