UFTAA Congress kicks off today
Kathmandu, Nov 20 - The 43rd United Federation of Travel Agents Association (UFTAA) Congress is all set to begin Friday with expectations of resolving pertinent issues to improve travel industries across the globe.
The mega event will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at the Soaltee Crowne Plaza.
The UFTAA Congress, which is the first international tourism event in Nepal's six-decade-long tourism history, is expected to be an important landmark for the country's travel and tour operators and other tourism entrepreneurs.
Addressing a press meet on the eve of the event, UFTAA president William Tan said that member agents and UFTAA officials from various countries had arrived in the capital to participate in the Congress.
He said that the UFTAA Congress in Kathmandu would focus on major issues like service fees, zero commission, low-cost airlines and Nepal's travel trade, ethics in tourism and networking, among others.
"However, our special focus will be on zero commission," he added.
He said that international airlines had reduced the commission paid to travel agents for air tickets sold from 9 percent to 5 percent, and that they planned to bring it down to zero.
"Singapore has already reduced the commission to zero, and this provision is going to be imposed on travel agents in other countries," he added.
He said that a reduction would deal a heavy blow to registered travel agents and that consumers may need to pay additional service charges to travel agents as a result.
He added that the issue would be given major focus as it may hamper the business of travel agents.
In Nepal, travel agents get a 7 percent commission on each ticket sold.
Similarly, key issues facing travel agents in Canada and the U.S.A. and the experience of Croatia would also be highlighted, he said.
David de Villiers of UNWTO-Spain; James Tunney, professor of law (Sweden); Milo Srsen, assistant director of the Croatian National Tourist Board; Robert Khoo, CEO of the National Association of Travel Agents of Singapore and Bruce Bishins, CEO of ARTA Canada, will make their scholarly deliberation.
Vijay Shrestha and Hari Bhakta Shrestha, experts in Nepal's aviation sector, will make presentations in Nepal's context. Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents (NATTA) is hosting the international event as a member of UFTAA.
A total of 125 participants from 45 countries across the globe are scheduled to participate in the UFTAA Congress.
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