Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators, or MATATO signs a MoU with Travel Agents Federation of India to extend cooperation in joint marketing and networking efforts that promote travel trade between the two countries. TAFI is one of the leading travel organizations in India. The MoU was signed on 16th February in Delhi, by Vice President of TAFI Mr. Pradeep Lula and Deputy Secretary General of MATATO Ms. Asra Naseem, during a special function hosted in Maldives pavilion at the South Asian Travel and Trade Exhibition, SATTE.
This MoU will benefit both organizations in combining resources to further extend marketing and networking activities. Furthermore, sharing market data and research between the organizations will help develop and progress on marketing strategies. Under this agreement, support will also be shared, through collaborations and endorsement to develop and promote the existing programs and products of both parties.
The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) was established in 1986. It is a dynamic organization that guides the travel industry in India. It is a professional body of Travel Agents coordinating different segments of the travel trade. TAFI is a non-political, non-commercial and non-profit organization. Their membership currently comprises of 1400 Active, Associate, Allied and Affiliate (Travel Service Intermediaries – Non IATA) members from all over India. Over 70% of the ticketing business is handled by TAFI members. TAFI represents the travel trade before official bodies of Government, Airlines and other appropriate forums. TAFI augments the development of the travel industry in India by encouraging improvement in the standard of service, inculcating professionalism and spreading awareness and updated information on travel and regulations.
India is one of the largest potential source market for Maldives that shows a lot of promise, and MATATO believes that partnership with TAFI will allow the two organizations to work together to create business opportunities and contribute to growth of travel figures. This also represents a significant achievement in the efforts to increase engagement with regional and international organizations. MATAO hopes that this act will help further strengthen their programs for industry development and destination marketing. In 2016 MATATO signed a similar agreement with Pacific Asia Tourism Association PATA.
SATTE has started on 15th February, in Pragati Maidan, Delhi, India will come to a close on Friday. MATATO is hosting a destination stand at this exhibition with more than 15 Maldivian Travel companies, compromising a delegation of 20 representatives. SATTE is the second International Travel Exhibition this year that MATATO is leading the destination to, with two more exhibitions, Riyadh Travel Fair and WTM connect, scheduled to April and May respectively. MATATO takes pride in our efforts to market the destination abroad, by providing Maldivian companies with opportunity to build their business network in leading and emerging international markets, which we believe will strongly contribute to the growth tourist arrivals to Maldives.
