IATO president provides Modi with tourism wish-list
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Subhash Goyal, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), has written an open letter to the country’s newly-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi, congratulating him on his election victory and setting out the tourism industry’s key agenda items.
In the letter, Goyal noted that Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was “the only party which had put tourism in their election manifesto”, and said that most tourism stakeholders, including IATO’s 1,500 members, backed the new PM’s vision.
“Millions of people who are associated with the tourism industry whether they are tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, tourist guides, transport operators and taxi operators, all supported the BJP because they had put tourism in their five point vision document,” said Goyal.
He went on to state the industry’s wishes for the future, under Modi’s leadership, including removing taxation and easing visa processes.
“[The tourism] industry is confident that the new government with Mr Modi as our Prime Minister will stop the discrimination to the tour operators and exempt them from service tax as the exporters are exempted based on their foreign exchange earnings,” Goyal said. “This would increase the international tourist arrivals to our country and in turn will increase our foreign exchange earnings and create millions of jobs in every nook and corner of the country.
“No doubt it will also add crores of rupees in indirect taxes to the government,” he added.
With regards to visas, Goyal said he looked forward to the e-visa scheme announced by the previous government being implemented.
“Once e-visas are implemented, tourists from overseas who are presently avoiding coming to India due to visa problems will be encouraged to travel to India hassle free without any inconvenience,” said Goyal.
“BJP will make tourism as an instrument for economic change, women empowerment, poverty eradication and employment generation in the country,” Goyal said, echoing Modi’s election pledge.
He also assured Modi of IATO’s “full cooperation and support… in carrying forward his vision for overall development of our country”.
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