NEW DELHI: The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has sought aid by the finance ministry to its battered tourism industry in the approaching GST council meeting with decreasing tax prices. “While no business of the market has escaped the effects of Covid 19, one of the worst hit is the tourism industry, especially the inbound , with over 1 year of total washout and no instant resurrection in sight. (Ask ) Agency to think about rationalisation or decreasing of GST on various tourism related services because this can help enhance the business and when the resurrection occurs,” IATO mentioned in a declaration. Tourism industry states that the GST in India is twice as large as in neighbouring nations. IATO has also asked that GST/IGST might be fully exempted on the services offered out India, in neighboring nations even in the event the bundle comprises India tour. “As a consequence of taxation exemption, reservations will come to European Tour operators rather of these reservations visiting tour operators located in neighbouring nations. This can add significant foreign exchange to the nation,” it states. IATO president Rajiv Mehra stated:”The governmental tourism has become the worst hit and also when we were to find those fiscal relief it’ll help us provide us some power to bounce … ask the ministry of home affairs to begin planning on launching an e-tourist visa in stages as vaccination in most resource markets such as USA, UK and other European nations are nearly complete. This is sometimes carried out in phases and on mutual basis in order that inbound tourism company can begin which won’t just revive economic activities but will also bring jobs lost during the previous 14 months.”