Rajiv Mehra, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has recently written a letter to the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) requesting his intervention to implement key demands of the inbound tourism sector.
Mehra in his communication to the PM has sought his help to restore SEIS (Service Export Incentive Scheme) or introduce an alternative scheme in the new Foreign Trade Policy, as the inbound tourism sector is facing hardships and needs hand-holding by the government.
The association has also requested the rollback of TCS of 20 percent to 5 percent on overseas tour packages announced in the Union Budget. The association said that these steps would place the tourism industry at par with tour operators in other markets and help them compete with the neighbouring countries.
“Also, during the current G-20 Presidency of India, where promoting tourism is one of the key objectives, it would be pertinent that the government extends a helping hand to the sector,” read a press release issued on behalf of the association.