‘Together we can transform the travel and tourism landscape in India’

Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI, is running for re-election at the upcoming polls scheduled for September 30 in Mumbai. During an exclusive media briefing at Le Meridien, Mayal shared valuable insights and personal anecdotes from her journey as TAAI President from 2019 to 2024, as well as her vision for the future.

Reflecting on her career, Mayal recounted the story of how she entered the travel industry through her husband, Balbir Mayal. She quickly fell in love with the world of tourism. Over the years, she mastered the nuances of the industry, taking on several key roles within the association before assuming the presidency in 2019.

“When I became President, I had a clear roadmap for moving the association forward. We organised a six-city roadshow with Turkish Tourism, and the first Management Committee meeting during my presidency took place aboard the Cordelia cruise, where all members enjoyed luxury experiences. But then Covid hit, and I was faced with an unfathomable set of challenges,” she recalled.

“Just a month after the pandemic began, my members grew anxious about refunds, payments, and whether their businesses would survive. I put aside my own health, family, and home to dedicate myself to resolving not only my members’ issues but those of the entire travel industry. I brought IATA on board to safeguard our members' interests. Looking back, I participated in over 1,200 webinars during the lockdown.”

Under her leadership, TAAI secured refunds worth Rs 5,000 crore during the lockdown. TAAI also has a total of 28 MoUs, 18 of which were achieved during the pandemic. From advocating for the postponement of implementation of TCS to rationalising GST, Mayal reached several key milestones, including hosting two of the most memorable conventions, one on a cruise ship and another in Sri Lanka, where the President of the country inaugurated the event.

She emphasised, “Despite the controversies and politics surrounding the upcoming TAAI elections, I remain unaffected as my conscience is clear. While one candidate’s nomination was cancelled and another’s faced uncertainty, I made an informed decision to allow the second nomination, as I believe in fairness rather than indulging in dirty politics or baseless allegations. My work speaks for itself, and I’m not worried about the election outcome. My focus remains on empowering and educating our members and ensuring the security of their businesses.”

“As we navigate through these transformative times, it is crucial that we unite to strengthen and elevate our travel and tourism sector. My vision for our industry is built on empowerment, transparency, and sustainable growth, with a particular focus on ensuring the survival and success of smaller enterprises,” she added.

Here are few key highlights of her vision
“I will advocate for fair commissions on visa fees to ensure travel agents are adequately compensated for their services.”

Insurance for Low-Cost Airlines: “I aim to implement insurance policies that safeguard agents' funds, providing financial security and stability in all transactions involving low-cost airlines.”

Abolition of TCS: “I will push for the abolition of the Tax Collected at Source (TCS) to ease the financial burden on our industry and promote a smoother, more efficient business environment.”

Credit Input on IGST & GST Rationalization: “I will work towards securing credit input on Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) and rationalising GST rates to create a more favourable tax framework for our sector.”

Transparency and Fair Cancellation & ADM Policies from Airlines: “I will ensure that airlines adopt transparent, fair cancellation procedures and Agency Debit Memo (ADM) policies to protect the interests of travel agents and their clients.”

Necessary Amendments to the MoA: “I will propose essential updates to the Memorandum of Association (MoA) to better align with the evolving needs and aspirations of our industry.
Increasing Women Participation & Empowerment: Though I have always worked towards including more Women in tourism (WITT is a testament of this), I aim to empower them further and increase their participation in the Association.”

Protect Smaller Agents: “Today, consolidators and big agents are handling a major chunk of the Business. My vision is to not just protect the smaller agents, especially those in tier 2 and 3 cities but also empower them through technology so that they can improve their business prospects.”

Concluding the Press Conference Mayal said, “I have worked very hard for the last 5 years for the benefit and upliftment of my TAAI Members. Being in Delhi and having inroads in the Corridors of Power, there is much more that I plan to do for my Members and I am confident that I can do it. Many of the landmark initiatives started by me are in their final stages and I want to see them reach their successful end. I strongly believe that together, we can transform the travel and tourism landscape in India. By focusing on resilience, inclusivity, and prosperity, we can ensure a thriving future for our sector.”