Confederation of Hospitality, Technology and Tourism Industry (CHATT) is an industry body of travel and hospitality tech players such as Airbnb, EaseMyTrip, OYO and Yatra, who have come together to help smaller operators in the tourism sector, said the industry needs to be ready for all kinds of travellers and offer them varied choices.
Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel lauded the efforts of the new-age technology, travel and hospitality companies that have come together to promote the interest of the smallest and often under-represented operators and work together with the government on various fronts in this space.
The association comprises startup founders and business leaders such as Ritesh Aggarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO, Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager, Airbnb – India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Nishant Pitti, Co-Founder & CEO – EaseMyTrip.com, Rohit Kapoor, CEO – OYO India & Southeast Asia; and Dhruv Shringi, Co-Founder and CEO – Yatra.com.
CHATT’’s formation is a landmark decision to boost India’s robust domestic tourism market and support small hotel partners, homeowners, agents to expand their offerings catering to the needs of tourists. The Tourism Ministry is continuously making efforts to make data available of hotels, homestays on a unified portal, NIDHI, to benefit tourists and CHATT will play a crucial role in it. CHATT aims to promote domestic tourism, lead the digital transformation of tourism-related business and operating models, proactively engage via advocacy programmes to be a thought leader, impart educational training and beneficial programs to all industry segments.
Every member will be able to access all CHATT resources and benefits, including participation in year-round programs, signature business events, access to the travel-tech ecosystem, including experts and regional leads, a statement from CHATT said.
Ritesh Aggarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO said, “The issues of the micro and small segments of the industry are not represented or highlighted by any of the established industry associations in their discussions with the government and therefore the necessity was felt for a dedicated association to be their voice.”
Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager, Airbnb India, and South East Asia said that the innovative abilities of the young entrepreneurs can be tapped for the revival of the tourism sector in the country post-pandemic.
“The efforts of CHATT are highly inclusive and once the impact of second-wave subsides a group like CHATT will present greater economic impact. Technology is at the forefront of many initiatives at the Ministry of Tourism and we look forward to closely working with CHATT to strengthen the sector,” said Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh.
