IATO Special

‘The Theme Aims To Unite All Components Of The Industry’

Subhash Goyal, president IATO speaks to Anindita Chattopadhyay about the convention and its future plans

Why have you chosen the theme `Incredible India’ - Sustaining the Boom, when there is hardly a boom?

Compared to some of our neighbouring countries in South and South-East Asia, three million tourists is definitely not impressive. But India took long to touch this mark. Once there, we must resolve to work together to achieve greater numbers and reap the benefit. So, through this theme, we aim to bring all components of the industry such as hotels, airlines, transporters together to find solutions to the bottlenecks and help the sector grow.

Would the suggestions raised at the seminars be implemented?

After the convention, a report will be prepared and circulated to the respective governments and industry partners and IATO will pursue it. In fact, opening of skies for ASEAN countries, reintroduction of LTC, reduction of IATT, liberalisation of charter policy, all these came up as suggestions at our earlier conventions and today, they have been implemented. IATO will continue to do the same.

How do you plan to take IATO forward?

I am not the one to take IATO forward, but our members collectively will. I work as a coordinator, take members views and try to give them maximum membership benefit. IATO has become the voice of the industry over the last 20 years. I want to make it a platform of cooperation and utilise the IATO forum to fight for industry issues.