IATO has urged the government to have a One Nation One Travel Policy for International Travellers. It has been noticed that the confusion is being created due to travel guidelines/advisories being issued by various state governments for foreign/international travellers. To end this, IATO has requested the government to have one central policy which is binding on all the state governments.
According to Rajiv Mehra, President IATO, “Every state has a different policy which only compounds the confusion amongst the international travellers. While traveling to India, foreign tourists think of India as one destination and they plan their travel to India as per guidelines of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and as per advice given by the Indian tour operators. But multiple state-level policies discourage international tourists to travel to India which is already down to negligible levels due to pandemic.”
IATO has requested the government to frame the One Nation One Policy and guidelines for the international travellers should only be issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) and this should be followed by all the states/union territories. This is the practice being followed globally by all the countries.
Mehra adds, “Such a step would go a long way in not only assuring the international travellers visiting presently but also would pave way for robust bookings as and when normal international flights resume.”
