Subhash GoyalOne of India's most vocal and articulate advocates of the travel industry is Subhash Goyal, chairman of STIC Travel.
Goyal heads the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), is an active member of the National Tourism Advisory Board and is on the panels of many tourism institutes. He founded his company back in 1973 to cater for the youth market and students who wanted to travel by providing them with information, facilities and the student cards.
STIC is now general sales agent (GSA) of eight airlines with offices throughout the country and more than 600 employees. Goyal is a former president of the Delhi University Students Union (DESU). His speaking skills come in very handy as he addresses various meetings on travel, tourism, civil aviation and other issues.
His daughter Richa is set to continue his business and is now doing her Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
Goyal relishes fighting for the causes of tourism industry. In a service industry such as travel, he says it is vital to deliver what one promises. Goyal feels India should consider an open sky and a liberal visa policy just like Indonesia. He believes inbound tourism would get a big boost if all airlines were allowed to come in, more airports opened for international flights and an international airport built in each state. "Why should a tourist coming to Andaman have to land at Delhi? He should be able to land in Andaman itself," Goyal said. Also, a visa-on-landing policy would be more convenient and practical.
Goyal believes all Indian missions abroad should at least tap staff from the commercial or other sections to act as tourist officers if a full-time representative is not possible. This would improve India's marketing efforts abroad with minimal cost.
Goyal pioneered flights from Sri Lanka long ago. Nepal has been another target.
On foreign investment, Goyal says that a clear message should be given, as delays would send the wrong signals.
Goyal has been telling the mandarins and the politicians that tourism is the best way to increase jobs and foreign exchange earnings, and should be given all facilities.
He worked very hard with IATO secretary Murli Dhar and senior vice president Badri Bajaj to see that the five per cent service tax would not be imposed on operators. They met more than 100 Members of Parliament and other pressure groups and officers to convince them that the government can earn more by other means. They suggested that the airport tax be increased, and the service tax withdrawn. Goyal was a sad man when the powers-that-be agreed to one demand - they hiked the airport tax, but did not remove the service tax.
Goyal and his teams organised an industry march to protest against the tax.