Sharp drop in travel agents in India with Iata accreditation

New Delhi: Around 123 travel agents in India have either voluntarily surrendered their International Air Transport Association (Iata) accreditations or saw them terminated in 2008, reporting the highest number of withdrawals from India in the last five years. Industry experts attribute this to cost-cutting measures by agents and airlines in the wake of global economic recession.
Based in Montreal, Canada, Iata works with airlines and accredits some 60,000 travel agents worldwide. In India there are now about 2,900 Iata accredited agents. The Iata accreditation fee varies across countries. In India, the fee for a new applicant is $550 (Rs26,895) and an annual fee of $90 for existing members.
According to the Iata website, 60,000 travel agents worldwide sell around $220 billion worth of airline tickets on behalf of around 230 member airlines. In the Asia-Pacific region, the number of accredited agents increased from 9,600 in 2006 to 11,800 in 2008, while in India they increased from 2,400 to 2,900 in 2008 over the same period.
“The number of agents in India that did not get their accreditation renewed—either voluntarily or were terminated—was 52, 70 and 123 in 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively. Though 123 from India is the highest in the last five years, one must bear in mind that the number of travel agents in India obtaining accreditation has also increased. In 2008, about 200 agents obtained accreditation in India,” said Singapore-based Iata spokesperson Albert Tjoeng in an email response.
Industry experts, however, say because of the recession, airlines have stopped paying accredited agents credit against the sale of air tickets, because of which these agents were defaulting.
09/01/09 Regina Anthony Nair/Livemint

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jan 2009