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Major players in the travel-tech segment including Airbnb, EaseMyTrip, OYO and Yatra have come come together to form an industry body, named the Confederation of Hospitality, Technology and Tourism Industry (CHATT).

A statement from the newly-formed body noted that the Covid-19 crisis presents a unique opportunity to collaborate on reviving the industry and only progress upwards from here on.

"To empower the voice of smaller operators in the ecosystem, travel and hospitality tech players - Airbnb, EaseMyTrip, OYO and Yatra - have come together to back and enable an industry association - Confederation of Hospitality, Technology and Tourism Industry (CHATT)," it said.

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 programmes to all industry segments, as per the statement.

Every member will be able to access all CHATT resources and benefits, including participation in year-round programmes, signature business events, access to the travel-tech ecosystem, including the experts and regional leads among others, it said.

The association comprises start-up founders and business leaders such as Airbnb General Manager, India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Amanpreet Bajaj, EaseMyTrip.com co-founder and CEO Nishant Pitti, OYO India & Southeast Asia CEO Rohit Kapoor, and Yatra.com. co-founder and CEO Dhruv Shringi.

In a digital launch event hosted by CHATT, Union Tourism Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel lauded the efforts of the new-age technology, travel and hospitality companies who 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.

Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh said: "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."