There are two teams in the fray in the forthcoming IATO election, ‘Team Moving Forward’ led by incumbent Vice President Rajiv Mehra whose vying for the top post and challenging him is ‘Team for Change’ led by former IATO Hony. Secretary Lally Mathews.
Both the teams have already spoken of fighting the election with ‘dignity’. But forget it. That is not to be. With just four more days to go, campaigning for the election is already intense and the election is being fought vigorously, bitterly too and with some high-decibel rhetoric which is little on content. This was amply clear at the press meet and campaign meetings that I have attended so far. And this has also become amply clear in my off-the-cuff interaction with members of the teams in this election.
There have been simmering differences since the last IATO election that gave a fractured mandate. And it had publicly manifested in some of the monthly meetings that touched new lows of discords and disagreements. If one team is alleging insensitivity towards some IATO members who have lost their Active membership, the other team has alleged deliberate dereliction of duty in order to create electoral issues. Both the teams have accused each other of stalling some key constitutional amendments that will facilitate larger representation and more geographical penetration that will strengthen IATO.
The forthcoming election has also sucked in industry’s only unity voice FAITH that came into existence some eight years ago after years of failed attempt as well as stalwarts like IATO’s Immediate Past President Subhash Goyal who is also the current IATO representative in FAITH and former Sr. Vice President, Rajeev Kohli. FAITH’s working has come into question and that taking up inbound tourism related issues through FAITH has undermined the stature and standing of IATO.
I have no doubt in my mind that the coming of FAITH was probably the best news of the previous decade for the tourism industry. There can be constructive criticism and debate on strengthening the federation further, strong secretariat, clarity on responsibilities of FAITH and its member associations etc. Leaving, and hence weakening the federation, will be a big step backward.
Goyal’s competency as an IATO representative in FAITH has been questioned and he was branded a ‘total failure’ in the ongoing campaign. Goyal has been IATO’s longest serving President and a permanent fixture in the association’s Executive Committee since 1994. Few can doubt his competency and contribution in growing IATO to a 2000 members strong body that it is today and grooming new talents from IATO’s ranks over the years. Today, his protégés are in both the camps, including the one that’s baying for his blood in this election, whose careers and stature he has furthered in IATO and industry.
IATO’s former Sr. Vice President, Kohli has served as the first Asian President of Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), a professional global association of immense repute with over 2500 members in over 90 countries. In India, the industry celebrated his recognition.
Tourism boards around the world have wooed him to highlight their destination offerings in the incentives space and learn from his expertise, experience and enterprise.SITE made exception requesting Kohli to continue at the helm for a second term, an honour not given to others before him. Few can doubt his integrity to IATO, members or inbound tourism.
He has given IATO some of the most attended and content rich annual Conventions like the ones in Bombay and Chennai. Kohli’s name has repeatedly found mention in the recent campaign for playing a role in demoting Active members to Allied category.
Worse still, even region and religions have become part of the embarrassing campaign narratives this election, probably the darkest ever.
The larger picture here is that IATO represents a sector that earns the country a staggering over US $ 30 billion (over 2,11,000 crore) a year in foreign exchange. Their (IATO’s) direct revenue contribution to this amount may be small but their indirect contribution encompasses a whole lot more. The marketing efforts that tour operators make, take them to every corner of the globe and generate not only tremendous destination interest in India but many-times more inbound tourist traffic than what their numbers show.
And larger yet is IATO and its tour operator members’ socio-economic impact on the country, which is staggering to say the least. They are an integral part of the value chain that generates around 40 million employment in the country, help create low skilled jobs in far flung corners, create opportunities amongst the poor and low-skilled, and many indirect and induced economic activities.Their efforts create more women employment at the lower level than most of the other sectors. And not to forget that IATO members are the most efficient brand ambassadors overseas. But this is not to be while contesting election at home.
At a time when the sector and the country are passing through their worst crisis, businesses being decimated, employment being lost, ‘revival of tourism and tourism enterprises in the country’ should have been the rallying cry. But this also is not to be. As the campaign progresses towards its finale mud-slinging and counter-attacks have become only louder.
Hard to believe that IATO is bereft of capable, visionary and inspiring leaders today! But most of these people would be wary of wading in the murky slush of mud-slinging and accusations. And those who are in this election, are likely won’t be judged for their works for themselves and the industry, for they are being differentiated as big operators, small operators, etcetera.
This election has definitely left IATO diminished.
