To strengthen IATO membership base, the IATO Executive Committee has taken some major and important decisions to increase membership in states where we have less members and also to encourage allied members to change their status from allied to active all over the country.
Mr. Rajiv Mehra, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators apprised about the decisions taken by the Executive Committee in taking forward the task, EC has taken in hand.
Mr. Mehra mentioned that EC has decided to waive off the Admission Fee of Rs. 10000/- plus 18% GST for the applicants from some of the states/union territories where IATO needs to encourage stakeholder to join IATO to strengthen membership base, which include Andaman Nicobar Islands; Andhra Pradesh; Bihar; Chandigarh: Chhattisgarh; Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu; Jammu & Kashmir; Jharkhand; Ladakh; Lakshadweep; the North East States and Puducherry. EC has gone beyond and has decided to give a 50 % discount on the Admission fee for the applicants from the other states, which are not mentioned above. There is no waiver/discount on the Annual Subscription and to be paid fully. This waiver off/discount in Admission Fee will be for the applications received till 31st March 2022.
Earlier EC had also decided to give relief to the existing members in the category of tour operators, travel agents, transport operators, hotel representation companies. All these categories of members who have paid their annual subscription for the financial year 2020-21, their membership has been will be automatically renewed for the financial year 2021-22 and they will not be charged the annual subscription for the financial year 2021-22.
The main objective of this membership drive is to make IATO a strong voice in the tourism and travel industry all over the country.
Mr. Rajiv Mehra has requested all its members to support the EC in membership drive with the following:-
· To encourage all their friends and other stakeholders in the tourism industry to apply for IATO membership and take benefit of waiver/discount in admission fee.
· To encourage the existing members to pay their annual subscription for the financial year 2020-21 so that their membership for the financial year 2021-22 could be renewed.
· To encourage existing allied members who are MoT approved and have foreign exchange earnings of minimum Rs. 20 lakh and above during the financial year 2019-20, to apply for a change of status from allied to active category.
· All those allied members who have foreign exchange earnings should be encouraged to apply for MoT recognition for which all help will be rendered by the IATO Secretariat, New Delhi so that after they get MoT recognition, they will be eligible to change their status from Allied to Active category after completion of 2 years from the date of their getting MoT recognition. This will also entitle them to take benefits of Ministry of Tourism like availing MDA Scheme, participation in overseas travel marts and roadshows being organised by the Ministry, etc.
