Dhaka: The three-day Bangladesh Travel Mart (BTM) 2026 commenced in the capital today, uniting domestic and international tourism businesses to foster trade, networking, and stronger global market connectivity.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the inaugural edition of BTM is organized by the Bangladesh Outbound Tour Operators Association (BOTOA) at InterContinental Dhaka. It has gathered tour operators, travel agencies, airlines, destination management companies (DMCs), tourism organizations, and other travel service providers from both home and abroad.
Approximately 100 exhibitors and 60 trade buyers are participating in the event, which is expected to attract around 15,000 visitors over the course of three days. Exhibitors are showcasing domestic and international tour packages, air tickets, hotel and resort bookings, visa services, and special travel offers.
Visitors were actively engaging with different stalls on the opening day, seeking information about destinations and comparing various offerings such as tour packages, airfares, accommodation, and visa services. The event was inaugurated by Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry's Joint Secretary Dr. Prakash Kanti Chowdhury, with the Philippine Ambassador to Bangladesh Nina P. Cainglet and representatives from the government, tourism industry, and participating organizations attending the ceremony.
Organizers expressed that the travel mart aims to connect Bangladesh's tourism industry more effectively with international markets while facilitating direct business links between domestic and foreign tourism enterprises. BOTOA President Syed Golam Mohammad emphasized that BTM is not just an exhibition, but a platform for establishing direct connections between Bangladesh's tourism businesses and the international tourism market.
BOTOA General Secretary Md Shariful Islam Sharif stated that the association's goal is to develop BTM into an international-standard travel trade platform, combining exhibitions with meaningful business networking and productive business-to-business (B2B) meetings. The mart offers both B2B and business-to-consumer (B2C) segments for tourism professionals and general travelers respectively, providing opportunities to explore and compare tour packages, air tickets, accommodation, visa services, and international destinations.
The Bangladesh Travel Mart will continue until September 5.