VIEWPOINT

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William Shakespeare ( Love's Labour's Lost)

ravel Associations in India are going through turbulent weather. The industry is beginning to wonder where the problem lies. Is there basically something wrong in the system, on the basis of which it is set up? Or is there a shortcoming in the thought process and hence in the modus operandi?

The members also just take it lying down… there is no push from their side to aggressively take forward pending issues plaguing the industry. Outcome of meetings between the associations and the ministry are often disappointing, and nobody reacts!

One positive result however, has been the visa-on-arrival issue and ETA for incoming foreign tourists. This shows if an issue is taken up by all associations together and repeatedly, the results will be positive. Coming into place this winter season, the amendment should be very encouraging for the industry’s growth.

Social media needs to be understood and used by associations to research, collect data, monitor their members’ sentiments and maneuver the government towards the betterment of the industry. Regular polls and questionnaires will help them grasp what people think about their work – are they on the right track or are they slipping somewhere? It is so important to have clarity about the value of social media and use it, not just experiment with it. It is vital to determine the buzz around an action, calculate and exhibit the effect of large-scale participation to drive policies benefitting the industry. It is important for executive committee members to touch the grassroots, undertaking initiatives that would traditionally have been left to junior staff.

The Ministry of Tourism has taken steps to support the travel agents with virtual tours, audio guides, Clean India campaigns, etc. Shouldn’t all this have been taken up by the travel associations years ago?