More than 20 countries are set to participate in the first Bangladesh Travel Mart (BTM) 2026, an international travel trade marketplace organised by the Bangladesh Outbound Tour Operators Association (Botoa), as the country seeks to position itself as an emerging tourism and travel trade hub in South Asia.
The three-day event will be held from 3 to 5 September at Hotel InterContinental Dhaka, bringing together tourism boards, airlines, hotels, destination management companies (DMCs), tour operators, travel agencies, investors and buyers from Bangladesh and abroad.
According to the organisers, the event is expected to feature more than 130 domestic and international exhibitors, 50 international hosted buyers, 200 Bangladeshi buyers, representatives from over 100 tourism organisations and around 15,000 visitors, making it the country's largest international tourism and travel trade exhibition.
Speaking at a press conference in Dhaka today (11 July), Botoa President Syed Golam Mohammad said Bangladesh's tourism industry has entered a new phase, driven by improved connectivity, rising private-sector investment, stronger government support and growing international engagement.
He said Bangladesh Travel Mart 2026 would provide a global platform to showcase the country's natural beauty, cultural and historical heritage, and hospitality while strengthening partnerships with the international tourism industry.
The event is also expected to generate new business opportunities across the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors and promote Bangladesh as an attractive destination for international travellers.
Botoa General Secretary Md Shariful Islam Sharif said that although the association primarily represents the country's outbound tourism industry, it is equally committed to expanding inbound tourism and attracting more foreign visitors.
BTM Chief Coordinator Mohsin Iqbal said the event would serve as a comprehensive networking platform, bringing together tourism stakeholders from around the world under one roof.
The exhibition will feature separate Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) halls, allowing exhibitors to engage with trade professionals while offering consumers access to a dedicated travel marketplace.
For the first time in Bangladesh, the event will include an International Hosted Buyer Programme to help international buyers and exhibitors meet in structured sessions.
The B2B segment will include pre-arranged buyer-seller meetings, networking sessions and partnership discussions aimed at creating new commercial opportunities, promoting cross-border tourism cooperation and encouraging investment in the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors.
The B2C exhibition will offer visitors access to domestic and international tour packages, airline tickets, hotel bookings, visa services, destination information and exclusive promotional offers from participating exhibitors.
Botoa / Bangladesh travel mart / Tourism
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