In a meeting called by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, yesterday at the Ashok Hotel to get inputs regarding measure to be taken to increase exports on the call of Prime Minister’s  export target of 400 billion this year and taking India to 5 trillion economy in the future, Rajiv Mehra, President of Indian Association of Tour Operators, (IATO) on behalf of the tourism industry while giving its inputs/suggestion to enhance and increase exports through tourism, pleaded the Hon’ble Minister to release SEIS for the financial year 2019-20 for the tour operators, which is pending for 17 months now. Tourism industry is in huge financial crisis and is in dire needs of funds and SEIS is the only hope for them. He also requested that SEIS should remain continue for next 5 years to be included in RoDTEP scheme in the foreign trade policy being framed for 2021-26. 

He also requested the Hon’ble Minister that the Tourism industry to be treated as deemed exporter at par with  other exporters based on their foreign exchange earnings by relaxing the parameters/definition of “export of services’ and services provided to foreign tourists in India against foreign exchange. He also requested for Refund of IGST paid by the tourist while leaving India on supply of goods taken out of India under Tax Refund for Tourists (TRT) Scheme for which a provisions is there in IGST Act but has not been implementedwhich shall enhance the export through tourism which not only bring foreign exchange but also create millions of jobs.

Above suggestions were made not only for the survival of the tourism industry but will also enhance and increase export through tourism.

Hon’ble Minister of Commerce and industry not only gave patients hearing but also acknowledged our demands  and assured to look in the problems the tourism industry is facing. He also mentioned that tourism will be back with a bang with support from the Ministry of Tourism and other ministries.