THE FEDERATION of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) has been formed to unite India’s travel associations on a national level, giving the industry the common voice it needs to move India tourism forward.
Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) president Iqbal Mulla said: “The aim is to have a bigger and stronger voice, with a coherent body to work for the interests of the industry.”
FAITH consists of 10 of India’s travel industry associations, including the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), TAAI, Travel Agent Federation of India, Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), India Heritage Hotels Association, Indian Tourist Transport Association (ITTA), India Convention Promotion Bureau, and Hotel Association of India (HAI).
A four-member interim group consisting of ADTOI’s Subhash Verma, Nakul Anand of HAI, Tejbir Singh of ATOAI and ITTA’s Sarabjit Singh will work on the process of registering FAITH as a formal society within the next few days.
FAITH aims to become active before December, when India launches the inaugural Global Travel and Tourism Mart.
IATO president Subhash Goyal said: “FAITH will create a lobby along with media to fight common issues faced by the industry. Visa on arrival for more countries and introducing e-visas to encourage easy access will be among the first issues to be taken up with the government.”
By Anand & Madhura Katti
