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 Ever
since the Enterprising Travel Agents Association was established
in February 1995 to represent the interests of non-IATA travel
agents, it has gained the recognition and support of IATA
agents, airlines, consulates and various government agencies.
In conversation with Karl Dantas, president, ETAA, Raadia
Mukadam uncovers the aims, objectives and aspirations of this
association. Excerpts
What are the paramount objectives of ETAA?
The main objective of ETAA is to interact between non-IATA
travel agents, who are members of ETAA, and the industry.
Besides networking, we use our association as a platform for
our members to voice their opinions, views and to rake up
issues that affect them. As an association, ETAA is not low
profile but we prefer to walk the talk and actually take action
on issues instead of making a splash in the media. Our appeal
is to airlines, CRS, TAAI and TAFI to sit together and work
out a memorandum of understanding for mutual benefit. Seventy
per cent or more of an IATA agent’s business comes from
non-IATA agents. That warrants respect and recognition.
How effective has your association been in achieving its objectives?
It pains me to say that our association is as ineffective
as most associations. It is only the office bearers who make
an endeavour to carry the association and its cause further.
The greatest impediment and challenge to us is the lack of
inputs from our members. Since information in this industry
is invaluable to the success of one’s business, I have
tried to get the members of ETAA to be on the mailing list
of all the service providers in the travel trade. Because
knowledge is undisputedly wealth. A small agency cannot go
to all international trade fairs and events. Therefore, we
make sure that our members are briefed on all relevant issues
of the trade and updated about the highlights of every event.
We also thus serve as a link between service providers and
our members.
How important is IATA accreditation to a travel agent and
do you aspire to get one?
The non-IATA agent is the backbone of the industry. I have
not aspired nor am I planning to get IATA accreditation. Every
IATA agent, according to me, should lose their licence and
be hauled up because most of them do not adhere to the rules
in their constitution. Out of the 150 rules in the IATA constitution,
149 are violated. What meaning does an IATA accreditation
hold then?
What is the strength of your association and are you embarking
on a membership drive?
Though we have only 45 members, we are not a weak association.
No we are not embarking on a membership drive. If any non-IATA
agent feels the need to join this association, we will more
than welcome him, but we are not here to chase and urge people
to join us.
The failure of any association is due to the attitude of travel
agents who always want to know what their association will
do for them but rarely think about what they can do for their
association. Real success would lie in all associations joining
hands to make combined efforts. Non-IATA agencies do not realise
the value of a platform as vital as an association body.
What is the core problem faced by ETAA at the moment?
Our main problem currently is that there is no adequate interaction
between members of the travel fraternity, be they airlines
CRS or travel agents. The complaint of airlines that a CRS
system should not be given to non-IATA agents is totally unjustified.
CRS is a tool to disseminate information and there should
be no discrimination on that.
Defaulters
exist in every segment of the trade, the IATA or non-IATA
agent sector is no exception. There are no bad persons, only
bad attitude and bad policies. Most members of managing committees
of existing trade associations and decision makers in the
travel industry have at some time or the other violated major
laws in India. But they continue to exist and then think it
appropriate to make rules for others. If the use of CRS is
violated by the sub agent, it is also violated by an IATA
agent.
What according to you is the future of the non-IATA agent
in India?
Certainly bright. This is so because primarily we are the
only ones who actually service the end-user. However, it is
difficult today to distinguish between serious non-IATA agents
and the rif-raf who call themselves travel agents.
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