Bangladesh set to host first global travel mart with 20 nations

More than 20 countries will converge in Dhaka this September for the inaugural Bangladesh Travel Mart (BTM) 2026, the country's first international travel marketplace at Hotel InterContinental Dhaka.

Organisers expect more than 130 domestic and international exhibitors, 50 hosted international buyers, 200 Bangladeshi buyers, representatives from over 100 tourism organisations, and around 15,000 visitors, making it the largest international tourism and travel trade exhibition ever held in Bangladesh.

Announcing the event at a press conference in Dhaka on Saturday, Bangladesh Outbound Tour Operators Association (BOTOA) President Syed Golam Mohammad said Bangladesh's tourism industry had entered a new era, driven by improved connectivity, rising private investment, stronger government support and growing international engagement.

"Bangladesh is blessed with breathtaking natural landscapes, a rich cultural and historical heritage, and world-renowned hospitality," he said. "Bangladesh Travel Mart 2026 will provide a global platform to showcase these strengths, attract international visitors and forge stronger partnerships with the global tourism industry."

He said the event would enhance Bangladesh's global tourism profile while unlocking new business opportunities across the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors.

BOTOA General Secretary Md Shariful Islam Sharif said that although the association primarily represents Bangladesh's outbound tourism industry, it is equally committed to promoting inbound tourism and attracting more overseas visitors.

"BTM 2026 reflects our long-term vision of positioning Bangladesh more prominently on the global tourism map while creating meaningful opportunities for international business partnerships, investment and destination marketing," he said.

BTM Chief Coordinator Mohsin Iqbal described the event as a comprehensive international networking platform that will bring together national tourism boards, airlines, hotels, destination management companies, tour operators and travel agencies from around the world under one roof.

The exhibition will feature dedicated Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) zones, enabling exhibitors to engage with trade professionals while offering consumers direct access to travel products, destinations and exclusive promotional offers.

For the first time in Bangladesh, the event will also host an International Hosted Buyer Programme, facilitating structured business meetings between global buyers and exhibitors to strengthen cross-border tourism and commercial partnerships.

The B2B segment will include pre-scheduled buyer-seller meetings, networking sessions and investment discussions aimed at expanding regional tourism, aviation and hospitality cooperation. Meanwhile, the B2C exhibition will provide visitors with direct access to domestic and international tour packages, airline tickets, hotel reservations, visa services, destination information and special travel deals.