PUNEET CHHATWAL, MANAGING director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Ltd., owner of Taj Hotels, has been re-elected chairman of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality for the 2024-2026 term. The elections, held recently at Ginger Hotel in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, saw candidates elected unopposed.
FAITH represents the collective voice of India's tourism and hospitality sector, uniting 10 national associations: Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India, Hotel Association of India, Indian Association of Tour Operators, India Convention Promotion Bureau, Indian Heritage Hotels Association, Indian Tourist Transporters Association, Travel Agents Association of India, Travel Agents Federation of India, and its cause partner, All India Resort Development Association.
Chhatwal, the immediate past president of the Hotel Association of India, currently serves as its corporate member. He was named chairman of FAITH in January, succeeding ITC's Executive Director Nakul Anand, who retired.
The vice chairman positions were secured by Ajeet Bajaj of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India and Ajay Prakash of the Travel Agents Federation of India. Rajiv Mehra of the Indian Association of Tour Operators was elected general secretary, while Kanwarjit Singh Sawhney of the Indian Tourist Transporters Association was appointed treasurer.
"On behalf of all the elected Office Bearers, I assure you that we will work cohesively for the benefit of the tourism and hospitality industry, fulfill the dreams of the honorable prime minister, and achieve the targets set by the honorable prime minister," said Mehra. "Tourism and hospitality have huge potential in terms of employment generation and contributing to the economy of the country, and it will be our endeavor to fulfill this potential."
In May, Anand, who served as the federation’s chairman from its inception until January, was named patron-in-chief of FAITH.
