Tourism fair begins in Dhaka

Dhaka Travel Mart, a three-day international tourism fair, began at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka yesterday.

Organised by The Bangladesh Monitor, a leading travel and tourism publication, the fair is supported by private airlines Air Astra as title sponsor. Meanwhile, US-Bangla Airlines and Eastern Bank Ltd have joined as the premium sponsor and banking partner respectively.

K M Khalid, the state minister for cultural affairs, inaugurated the fair as chief guest. Visitors can enjoy attractive offers from participating organisations, including discounts on air tickets, hotel accommodation and tour packages among many other benefits.

The fair can be visited every day from 10:00am to 8:00pm until May 20 with an entry fee of Tk 50 per person.

Visitors can also win attractive prizes in the raffle draw to be held every day, including air tickets to Cairo, Dubai, Male, Bangkok, Kolkata, Cox's Bazar, Chattogram and Sylhet along with free hotel accommodation and complimentary lunch or dinner at star-rated hotels.

50 organisations representing national tourism companies, such as airlines, tour operators, hotels, resorts, travel agencies and online travel agencies as well as financial institutions and healthcare service providers, from home and abroad are showcasing their products and services at 65 stalls and 7 pavilions.

The participating countries are -- India, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand, KSA, Oman, UAE, and hosts Bangladesh.

The inaugural ceremony was also addressed by Md Mokammel Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Haznah Md Hashim, high commissioner of Malaysia to Bangladesh, and Rahat Anwar, chairman of the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.

Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Imran Asif, CEO of Air Astra, Md Mahbub Jahan Khan, director (strategic planning and transformation) of US-Bangla Airlines, Ziaul Karim, head of communications and external affairs of EBL, and Kazi Wahidul Alam, editor of The Bangladesh Monitor, also spoke.