Port Blair, May 22: The Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO) has requested the Secretary Tourism to charge only refundable security fees from local tour operators who wish to take part in any of the Mainland Tourism Fairs, instead of charging high participation fees.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of Tourism Department, Mr. M Vinod today said that a meeting headed by Director Tourism was held on 22/03/2018, regarding the participation of Travel & Tourism Fairs in Mainland, in which various suggestions were made by the stakeholders for charging of Participation fees by the Tourism Department.
According to Mr. M Vinod the meeting noted that Andaman Chamber of Commerce has proposed Rs. 50000/- for per venue; Hotel Association of A & N Islands has proposed Rs. 20000/- for per venue and Andaman Association of Tour Operators has proposed to Increase of Security Amount instead of Participation fees as suggested by the department (Security amount will be Refunded).
But he said that in The Daily Telegrams dated 24th April a news was published inviting Application from Tour Operators / Travel Agencies for participation in Travel & Tourism fairs in Mainland along with the venues and charging of Rs 20.000/- as Participation fees for each venue.
“Every year the stake holders participate in this fairs and promote brand Andaman and the system followed is that the department will provide space in the tourism department counter and all other expenses like flight, accommodation, food and publicity materials to be borne by the participants which itself come to nearly One Lakh per venue. It is the stake holders who do promotion of brand Andaman throughout the year through this fairs and if participation fees are charged lot of unemployed youths who operate travels business for their livelihood will not be able to promote their business,” Mr. Vinod added.
He requested the Secretary tourism to consider AATO’s request of charging high refundable security deposit instead of participation fees as suggested by the tourism department.
