‘Our Aim Is To Provide The Insurance Scheme For All Our 60 Members Registered Till Date’

N Ramji, chairman, TAFI - Tamil Nadu (TN) chapter, in an exclusive interview with Lakshmi Subramanian talks about the Chapter’s future plans

The TAFI-TN Committee

What has been the response for the TAFI - TN chapter?

The response has been excellent. We started off with six members and have about 60 members currently. There are about 120 IATA accredited agents out of which 60 have already registered, which is 50 per cent of the total strength. The rest would register in the near future.

What according to you are the benefits of this TN chapter?

The members have the advantage of being an integral part of an association such as TAFI, which has almost 70 per cent of its members in India. All the members will also be part of the TAFI insurance scheme, which is very beneficial for travel agents. In addition, we will address several trade-related issues relevant to the Indian industry.

What was the reason for delay in the launch of this chapter?

It is unfortunate that the TN chapter was not launched earlier. However it was launched at the right time and with good reason. There is a time for everything to happen. The travel agents in the South have always wanted to be a part of an association such as TAFI, which has become a reality.

What are the major activities of the TN chapter?

The main aim of the TN chapter will be to educate clients on various aspects of the travel and tourism industry. We will be discussing several issues on a monthly basis. We want to educate the members on various schemes available, packaging, HRD programmes so on and so forth.

What plans are lined up for the coming year?

We are planning a major convention at the end of February 2004, which will be a gala affair. It will be our annual convention. Apart from this, we are looking at providing the insurance scheme for all the 60 members registered till now. The members will definitely take up the scheme, as it is very important for all travel agents to be insured.

What do you believe is the purpose of launching the TN chapter?

It is a major step in the right direction for the welfare of the travel agents community. It is vital for travel agents in TN to be a part of this association. We are sure that there would be a quantum leap in the travel business with such a professional association as the guide.

With the people in the industry being members of this new outfit, fresh ideas will emerge. We find that there is a gap between the industry standards and standards that are maintained in reality. We are looking to bridge that gap. We are sure that the association will have an excellent future.