Spring season is here again.

The bags and baggage are packed and itineraries are sketched out. But are we, the travel people fully ready to encash upon a big tourist boom? As far as the current tussle between Hoteliers and Tour Operators is concerned, the travel industry is not in for a grand season and may even lag behind its much talked about targets. The relationship between them is fastly turning bitter and
there are little signs of reconciliation much to everyone’s grief. The tour operators are justifiably disappointed with hoteliers who according to them have never been so unhelpful and are continuously hiking their rates. This unfair practice have made it difficult for the operators to fulfill their promises to their clients and partners. Though the comments do not apply to entire hotel industry yet a big section is behaving in a strange manner. It is even buying time to gain maximum advantage and discloses the rates very late causing quite a problem for tour operators who have to honor their contracts with their overseas associates sometimes at the cost of sizable financial losses to keep commitments. Another sorry feature of the problem is an apparent difference
of opinion among the biggies of travel trade. The conclusive opinion however, is for an immediate end to the rift as it might cause a great damage to our national pride if persisted any longer. To me, the tour operators and hoteliers and their associates are the lifeline of the travel trade and therefore, must restore sense before it is too late and the industry have lost a fruitful seasons with great potentials.