At the opening ceremony of the 39th annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) on Friday held at the Taj Lakefront in Bhopal, Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and CEO of the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), welcomed delegates with a message of collaboration and strategic growth within the tourism sector.
Chhatwal expressed his enthusiasm at seeing a large gathering of tourism stakeholders in Madhya Pradesh, a state known for being one of the cleanest and greenest in the country. He highlighted the importance of collective efforts in building a competitive advantage for the industry and announced a series of new initiatives led by IHCL to enhance partnerships with the tourism community.
He announced five key initiatives from IHCL, which he hopes will inspire other industry players to follow suit. The first initiative involves an increase in commissions for IATO members from 10 percent to 12.5 percent. Secondly, IHCL will provide room rates inclusive of breakfast, ensuring a more comprehensive package for IATO members.
To further support travel agents, Chhatwal announced a flexible cancellation policy. For individual travellers (FITs) in business hotels, cancellations will be allowed within 48 hours, while for leisure and palace properties, the cancellation window will be extended to seven days. In addition, he unveiled a 25 percent discount on the best available hotel room rates for IATO members travelling to any destination where IHCL operates, both in India and internationally, for any event.
In a significant move to bolster inbound tourism, Chhatwal committed IHCL to invest Rs 20 crore over the next three years to host cocktail evenings at major international trade events, such as ATM Dubai, WTM London, and IMEX Frankfurt. These events will provide opportunities for IATO members to engage with global partners and showcase India’s tourism potential.
Madhya Pradesh is the host state of the 39th Annual IATO Convention taking place from August 30 to September 2, 2024.
