TOAB to host BD's largest Int'l Tourism Fair from Oct 30

The Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), a leading tourism trade organisation is organising the fair to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism.

The press meet and memorandum of understanding signing ceremony for BTTF 2025 was chaired by Md. Rafeuzjaman, president of TOAB, at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dhaka on Monday. The event was hosted by Md. Yunus, director of Media & Public Relations, TOAB. The brand ambassador for BTTF was present at the event,  Shubhashish Bhumik.

Md. Taslim Amin Shobhon, director (Trade & Fair), TOAB, provided an overview of the fair and its preparations. He mentioned that this year’s event would be the 13th edition, with a much larger, more exciting, and extravagant scale than previous years.

Tour operators and travel agents from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, the UAE, and Turkey will also participate. The fair will feature exhibitors from international and domestic airlines, travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, resorts, and cruise liners. This year’s fair will have a dedicated zone for medical tourism. There will be a total of 220 stalls in four pavilions across the event.

The fair will host over 250 exhibitors from more than 20 countries, over 2,000 commercial representatives, and more than 50,000 visitors are expected to attend. Other activities during the fair will include B2B sessions, seminars, and roundtable discussions. Cultural programmes and documentaries on the country’s tourist destinations will be showcased every day. There will also be exciting raffle draws, with attractive prizes for the winners.

Visitors from around the world can now register online and access all event details from their home countries. Additionally, for the first time in Bangladesh, an app for the fair has been launched. This app will provide visitors with venue maps, stall details, and a seamless navigation experience.

 They said efforts will be made to showcase how tourism can be developed without harming the environment. The fair will be plastic-free, and tree-planting initiatives and sustainable tourism campaigns will be held at tourist spots across the eight divisions of Bangladesh.

The folk crafts, which carry the cultural heritage of the country, will also be displayed at the fair. Local artisans from various districts will showcase their products and demonstrate their craft.

Several initiatives have been taken to create enthusiasm and engage people in the fair. A competition for travel photos, videos, and stories will be held, with the winning entries displayed at the event. Special prizes will be awarded to the winners.

For journalists who continuously inform tourists about tourism, hospitality, and aviation, there will be a special event. The top three journalists with the best coverage of tourism and BTTF 2025 will receive awards, TOAB certificates, and the opportunity for domestic and international travel.

Tourism is not only about the high season in Dhaka but should be promoted year-round across Bangladesh. The regional BTTF events, known as BTTF Regional Fairs, will be held in the Khulna, Sylhet, Rajshahi, and Chattogram divisions in 2026, allowing local tourism stakeholders to participate as exhibitors.

In her speech,  Chairperson of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation Sayema Shaheen Sultana highlighted the importance of BTTF in developing Bangladesh’s tourism sector. She assured the government’s full support for making the event a success.

Rafeuzjaman, president of TOAB, emphasised that BTTF is Bangladesh's largest and most popular tourism fair, aimed at raising awareness and promoting sustainable development in tourism.

During the event, several MOUs were signed between TOAB and various partner organisations, focusing on sustainable tourism, medical tourism, digital promotion, and regional cooperation, reports UNB.