Despite Bangladesh’s immense potential as a tourism destination, the sector continues to face significant challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of skilled human resources, weak policy implementation, and concerns over safety and cleanliness, said Mohammed Rafiuzzaman, president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) on Saturday.
He made the remarks while announcing the schedule for the 13th edition of the Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair (BTTF) 2025 during a meeting with the executive committee of the Aviation and Tourism Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) at the TOAB office in the capital.
The fair will be held from 30 October to 1 November at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre (BCFCC) in Dhaka.
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To address the existing challenges in the tourism sector, Rafiuzzaman stressed the importance of integrated public-private initiatives, internationally standardised training, and targeted destination development. He highlighted TOAB’s continued efforts to boost tourism since the launch of BTTF in 2007.
"The fair has significantly contributed to the growth of the domestic tourism industry and sparked interest from neighbouring and South Asian countries. Participation from foreign delegates has increased steadily over the years," he said.
ATJFB President Tanjim Anwar said BTTF is an important platform for fostering collaboration between local and international tourism stakeholders. “It facilitates investment, policy support, and destination expansion. The growing international presence in this year’s fair is a positive indicator for the sector’s future,” he added.
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This year’s fair will feature 220 stalls, with participants expected from the United Kingdom, European Union countries, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, the Philippines, and China.
The event will include B2B meetings, roundtable discussions, seminars, destination presentations, press briefings, and cultural programmes.
All of these will be open to participants. Invitations are also being extended to National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), foreign tour operators, and other international tourism professionals.
ATJFB Vice President Rajiv Ghosh, Joint Secretary Md Shafiullah Sumon, Organising Secretaries Julhas Kabir and Adnan Rahman, Publicity and Publication Secretary Altab Hossain, and Executive Members Masud Rumi, Rashidul Hasan, and Golam Mortuza Antu, TOAB Director (Training and Research) Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Director (Property and Assets) Ziaur Rahman Zakir, and former TOAB President Shiblul Azam Qureshi, were also present.