Saloni Bhatia – New Delhi
Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) launched their new magazine NAMASTAAI in New Delhi at The Claridges Hotel. The evening saw the members of the association come together to be a part of this new initiative. The magazine was unveiled by Dr Mahesh Sharma, minister of state for tourism and culture, Government of India. Addressing the gathering, Sunil Kumar, president, TAAI said, “I am thrilled to have the minister of tourism and culture, Dr Mahesh Sharma with us this evening. I am also honoured to have two of our past presidents, Inder Sharma and Balbir Mayal, with us. This magazine is a unique initiative that brings together information from our agents and professionals in the industry. It will be distributed to all the members and industry players to educate them about what TAAI is truly about.”
Dr Sharma, chief guest at the occasion, said, “I compliment the team of TAAI who has envisioned this great initiative in such a short period of time. We need a change in perception of the tourism industry. A lot has changed in the past few years but now we need to be more aggressive. The showcase of our country in a proper manner is much needed and I think initiatives like this magazine helps us achieve that. I wish them luck and hope that the information here helps the travellers as well as the agents in the industry to take tourism forward.”
Advising the team he said, “Add the initiatives by the government in the magazine so more agents can know about them. They will further spread the word so the tourist gets informed about such issues. It is time that we showcase the efforts India is making to improve the tourist experience.” The launch of NAMASTAAI is a key milestone for TAAI, which is celebrating its 65th anniversary. Kumar added, “The inaugural issue is a 84-page magazine that will go out to all our members and industry players. The cover story ‘Why is India Incredible’ talks about the rich heritage and culture of our country. Through this magazine, we look forward to showcase TAAI as a unique body that means MICE, tourism, technology, aviation and much more.”
After looking at the magazine, Inder Sharma, past president, TAAI (1978 – 1979) said, “The new league of TAAI has been more active and this is another initiative that brings forward their involvement with the industry. I look forward to more issues of NAMASTAAI.”