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The Tourism Ministry has formulated the guidelines for the approval /re-approval of Online Travel Aggregators (OTAs).
The aim of the voluntary scheme open to bonafide OTA is to bring them on a common platform in the organised sector and the guidelines for approval will be rolled out online by the end of this month.
The scheme is expected to set standards on accreditation and add value to the reliability of the aggregators, an official release said.
New norm
According to the new norm, recognition as an approved OTA shall be granted by the Tourism Ministry for five years, based on the Inspection Report.
The re-approval, thereafter, shall be granted for five years after an inspection by a committee of the same constitution. Also, it will be mandatory for an approved OTA to prominently display the Certificate of Approval given by the Ministry in the office premises.
There are several players in the OTA segment operating now without any accreditation / validation. One of the risks of letting the market operate unhindered is that unscrupulous players can vitiate the entire market through unethical trade practices. In order to engage with the OTAs constructively, it is imperative that a system is put in place with qualitative benchmarks, said the official statement
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