IHCL CEO Puneet Chhatwal announces key initiatives to empower IATO travel agents

Commits to invest ₹20 crore over the next three years in major travel trade events for overseas promotions, including hosting dinners and cocktail evenings.

Puneet Chhatwal, MD & CEO, IHCL, emphasized the importance of industry stakeholders uniting to work toward common goals and offering a competitive advantage for IATO members. At the 39th Annual IATO Convention 2024, he announced 5 key contributions aimed at supporting IATO travel agents and strengthening inbound tourism.

The first initiative includes an increase in commissions, from the current 10% by 25%, that implies a rise to 12.5%. Additionally, from now on, hotel rates will be based on a Continental Plan (CP) model, meaning breakfast will be included in all bookings, moving away from the American Plan (AP). To align the IATO travel agents with online travel agencies, Indian Hotels will offer flexible cancellation policies: a 48-hour cancellation window for FITs at business hotels and a 7-day window for leisure stays at palaces.

Furthermore, Chhatwal announced a 25% discount on the best available rate for IATO agents traveling for any event, domestically or internationally, where Indian Hotels operates. He urged agents not to misuse these advantages and promised more developmental initiatives in the future.

Chhatwal also made an appeal to Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, calling for greater investment in boosting inbound tourism. He pledged to invest ₹20 crore over the next three years in major travel trade events for overseas promotions, including hosting dinners and cocktail evenings, and urged the Ministry of Tourism to join in these efforts to further enhance inbound tourism.