Economic Reporter :
The country’s largest three-day international tourism fair will begin here on Thursday with the participation of 11 countries to expedite and promote tourism sector in Bangladesh.
Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), the apex body of the county’s tour operators, will organize the fair styled “Biman Bangladesh Travel & Tourism Fair (BTTF) 2018” at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in the capital.
Apart from hosts Bangladesh, national and international tourism organizations, tour operators, travel agents, tourism authority, airlines, hotels and resorts from Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, the UAE, China, Cambodia, the Maldives, and Vietnam will participate at the fair.
Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) along with Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), Nepal Tourism Board, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Ministry of Tourism of India are taking part along with 50 foreign organisations in 10 pavilions, 18 mini-pavilions and 130 stalls.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed will inaugurate the fair as the chief guest while Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shajahan Kamal will be present as special guest.
On the sidelines of the fair, the TOAB is going to organize a B2B session between its members and foreign exhibitors for the first time to expedite inbound tourism in the country.
Besides, two Round Table Discussions, presentation on Adventure Tourism, cultural events and raffle draw are also taking place in BTTF 2018, remain open between 10am and 8pm in everyday from April 19 to 21.
This was revealed today at a press conference at a city hotel.
BTB CEO Dr. M Nasir Uddin, Biman Bangladesh Airlines General Manager Shakil Meraj, TOAB President Taufiq Uddin Ahmed and Director (Trade & Fair) M Taslim Amin Shovon spoke at the press conference.
Dr Nasir hoped that the fair will cater unique opportunity for whole travel trade and hospitality industry to meet network, negotiate and conduct business with different stakeholders at home and abroad.
He said the Bangladesh Tourism Board is planning to organise a special B2B tourism fair next year to attract more foreign tourists in Bangladesh.
The BTB chief also informed that they have already made a committee to formulate a tourism fair or exposition guidelines for giving a boost to the country’s travel and leisure industry.
