IATO’S 2012 CONVENTION TO BE STRONGER IN FORM AND

To discuss industry’s issues The 28th Annual Convention of IATO is all set to come out with a few solutions for some of the long standing demands of the industry. The theme: ‘Moving Forward in Challenging Times – Together’ of IATO’s 28th Annual Convention is more than apt. “We believe that as an industry we need to stop chasing yesterday’s questions, for in doing that we will miss tomorrow’s answers. The Global economy is undergoing transformations and these changes are touching each and every one of us in the tourism industry. The entire business dynamic is changing,” Subhash Goyal, President, IATO, said. The IATO Convention this year is going to dwell on the changing business environment as well as the long standing issues of getting the tourism sector an industry status. “Tourism is one of the main foreign exchange earners for the country. Given the quantum of forex we earn, the industry should be granted deductions on forex earnings. We will ask government considere forex earned by inbound tour operators to be ‘deemed export’, and full service tax exemption be provided to them,” he added. “We will also push for the visa on arrival. We urge government to withdraw the 60 days gap re-entry clause,” he revealed. The Convention will also take up the issue of rationalisation of the tax on transport by different state governments. “Uniform taxes need to be adopted and transport tax should not be considered separate subject. We will try to persuade government to have a uniform taxation structure,” he said. IATO will also come out with Joint Minimum Programme at the end of the Convention. “We will come out with a White Paper after the Convention that will chart out the future course of action,” he concluded.