The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Online Travel Agents Cleartrip and Ease My Trip on 15th April.
The MoU was signed with intent to strengthen the hospitality and tourism industry amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The pact was signed in the presence of Rakesh Kumar Verma, JS, MoT; B.B. Dash, Director (H&R), MoT; Dr. A Raj & Mohit Singh from Quality Council of India (QCI); Vipin Shah, Vice President, Ease My Trip and Sriram V, Business Head, Cleartrip Private Limited.
This agreement will provide extensive visibility to accommodation units, which have self-certified themselves on SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness and Training for the Hospitality Industry) on the OTA platform.
The MoU also outlines both parties to encourage units to register on NIDHI and thereby, on SAATHI and encourage the local tourism industry with appropriate safeguards for curbing the spread of COVID-19.Â
The partnership will also help Ministry to gather more information on accommodation units in order to gain actionable insights and design evidence-based and targeted policy measures and to promote safe, honourable and sustainable tourism.
The ministry, with its online partners, will endeavour to take the necessary steps to encourage and promote strategic and technical cooperation in the tourism sector for overall benefit in the identified areas through the MoU.
It is estimated that more such MoUs will be signed in the future in order to strengthen the hospitality and tourism industry.
