KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES: A WHEREABOUTS INITIATIVE
For the uninitiated, subsidizing/waiving the annual membership and convention participation fee, demotion of some 40 odd Active members to Allied category, pending amendment of IATO constitution, empowering IATO and its chapters, bringing greater transparency in the association, are going to be some key campaign planks by ‘Team for Change’ that it highlighted at a recent press event.
Besides, tourism revival, taking up issues related to SEIS, growing inbound businesses, developing entrepreneurial spirit, bank guarantee cushions to assist small operators and developing effective working relationship with various ministries are other promises that ‘Team for Change’ plans to effect if voted to office.
The team also promised workshops for IATO members and their co-agents to explore opportunities in domestic and outbound space for Covid-ravaged trade.It promised to “closely liaise and coordinate with ADTOI and OTOAI” to develop greater synergy between these associations.
The camp is led by Divine Voyages’ Lally Mathews, a regular presence in various IATO Managing Committees over the last two and half decades.Mathews is contesting for the post of IATO President. Airtravel Enterprises’ E.M. Najeeb, Lotus Trans Travel’s Lajpat Rai, Planet India Travel’s Rajesh Mudgill, are some of the other key members in the team who are contesting for Sr. Vice President, Vice President and Hony. Secretary posts respectively.The election is scheduled on Saturday, March 06.
“After the Covid-19 pandemic struck, every tour operators came right back on earth. There were no big or small tour operators. My point of non-agreement is that since the government didn’t do anything on relief packages or something, at least start charity from home, subsidize the membership fee for the year 2021,” he said.
“We have a good bank balance of over five crore or something lying with IATO. There are small operators for whom even this amount (membership fee) is big enough. Give them some waiver. We told if you don’t want to give full waiver give them 50 per cent (waiver). It will be of some help to them,” Mathews said at the event.
Mathews particularly sounded peeved at the demotion of some Active members to Allied category because these member did not have MoT recognition any more. MoT recognition is a pre-requisite to qualify for Active membership of IATO according to the current association constitution.
He says that IATO must amend the constitution which has been blocked for the last seven-eight years in order to accommodate those who have lost their Active membership,some of who are founding members and a past President. He further said that these amendments will also help widen the Active membership base, strengthen the association and make it’s a stronger voice.
“I have spoken to some 150 members during the course of this campaigning already and everyone is looking for a change that can make them feel that it is their association. I am the senior-most candidate standing in this election. I started somewhere in 1994-1995. I have served the association well and have always stood for the members. In the last 2-3 years when I was not in any position, so many members have called me up for help and I have helped them out. They feel that I am a guy who is fare, not dishonest, without any personal agenda and the right person to lead the change,” said Mathews.
