After terrible pandemic crisis, country's travel trade gets revival chance

Dhaka : The two-year long horror of the Covid-19 pandemic left the country's travel trade sector with immeasurable losses of BDT 60,000 crore, said a recent study by BIDS. However, as the coronavirus crisis has improved with time, the industry is looking at light in the end of the tunnel with hopes to bounce back this year. 
This ray of hope comes disguised in the form of an international tourism fair that is going to be organised in an effort to accelerate the recovery of the travel trade sector in these new normal times -- the upcoming Triplover Dhaka Travel Mart 2022 organised by the premier travel trade publication The Bangladesh Monitor.
After a hiatus of two years amid the pandemic, to help revive the country's travel trade sector, the 17th edition of the international tourism fair is going to be organised on June 2-4 at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital. 
Kazi Wahidul Alam, Editor of The Bangladesh Monitor made the announcement on May 28 through a press meet at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka. 
Nisha Tasnim Shaikh, General Manager and Head of Operations of one of the country’s leading online travel agencies Triplover - the title sponsor of the fair, Md Kamrul Islam, General Manager, PR of the country’s largest private carrier US-Bangla Airlines - the Co-sponsor,  Md Zahid Hossain, Director (Additional Secretary), Sales and Marketing and Md Ziaul Haque Howlader, Manager (Sales Development and PR) of respective partner organisations national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines and national tourism body Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation were also present at the press meet. 
A total of 50 organisations, representing national and international tourism bodies, airlines, tour operators, hotels, resorts, travel agencies, online travel agencies and service providers, are taking part in this edition of the tourism fair, said Kazi Wahidul Alam in his speech.
This time, the fair is going to witness the highest number of foreign participants including airlines and tourism authorities, he added. 
It may be mentioned here, among 14 participating countries, the tourism authority of Saudi Arabia, which is now leaving no stone unturned to promote the Kingdom as a great tourism destination, will be joining the fair for the first time.  
To the delight of the visitors, attractive special offers and discounts on travel packages, air tickets, and hotel accommodation, among others, will be offered by the participating organisations during the fair.
After a hiatus of two years following the pandemic, this fair comes as a sigh of relief to the travel enthusiasts of the country with attractive offers for travel to their favourite destinations across the country and abroad. 
At the same time, the fair will serve as the best platform to the stakeholders of the travel industry to promote and sell their products and kickstart their revival from the devastating losses amid the two-year pandemic crisis.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali will be present as the Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony of the fair to be held on June 2 at 11:00 am to formally inaugurate it.
Prof Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam, Chairman (Senior Secretary), Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) will attend the ceremony as the Special Guest and Md Jashim Uddin, President, FBCCI as the Guest of Honour. 
The three-day fair will remain open for visitors from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm every day on payment of an entry fee of BDT 40 per person.
Attractive door prizes will be offered through raffle draw. Visitors can win couple air tickets to several popular international tourism destinations including Male, Singapore, and Cox’s Bazar, sponsored by  US-Bangla Airlines; Sharjah by Biman Bangladesh Airlines; Delhi by Vistara; Dubai by Jazeera Airways, and Kolkata by NOVOAIR. 
At the fair, country's largest private carrier US-Bangla Airlines will be offering 10 per cent discount on any domestic or international flight in its network. Also, with any couple ticket to Maldives or Cox's Bazar, the airline will offer free hotel accommodation of two nights, announced Md Kamrul Islam, General Manager (Public Relations) of the airline at the press meet.
The national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines will be offering 15 per cent discount on all international air tickets and also 20 per cent discount on six particular routes including Kathmandu, Delhi, Kolkata and Bangkok, among others, said Md Zahid Hossain, Director (Additional Secretary), Sales and Marketing, of the airline. 
Furthermore, on the sidelines of the fair, a seminar on "Prospect of Bangladesh as a Regional Aviation Hub" will be held on June 4 at 3:30 pm. 
Air Vice Marshall M Mafidur Rahman, Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) will present the key-note paper while Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud MP, Managing Director, Fly Dhaka; Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal, Managing Director and CEO, Biman Bangladesh Airlines; Md Abdullah Al Mamun, Managing Director, US Bangla Airlines; Mofizur Rahman, Managing Director, NOVOAIR; Imran Asif, Managing Director, Air Astra and Wing Com Nazrul Islam, Managing Director, United Airways BD Ltd will participate as Discussants. 
Triplover Dhaka Travel Mart 2022 - the dire need of today's time for the industry- is again bringing all the tourism industry stakeholders and travel enthusiasts under one roof with a chance to serve the newcomers in the trade as the best platform for branding and to allow the market leaders to carry out their product promotions as a shot to revival in the post-pandemic times.
At the same time, the fair aims to bring coherence among all the tourism stakeholders with great opportunities of B2B interactions to help the sector bounce back from the pandemic together and better, said the organisers of the event.