DHAKA, Sept 18, 2024 (BSS) - The three-day 11th Asian Tourism Fair (ATF) will 
commence tomorrow at the International Convention City Bashundhara in Dhaka, 
with participation from eight Asian nations, including host Bangladesh and 
prime partner country Maldives. 

The event is organized by the local travel magazine Porjoton Bichitra, with 
support from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Bangladesh Tourism 
Board, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, and Tourist Police Bangladesh. 

The fair aims to rejuvenate the tourism industry, which has faced significant 
challenges in recent years, ATF chairman and editor of Porjoton Bichitra 
Mohiuddin Helal told BSS today. 

"The fair's primary goal is to reinvigorate the tourism sector by increasing 
the popularity of Bangladesh's tourist destinations both domestically and 
internationally while fostering regional cooperation," he said. 

The fair will showcase tourism businesses such as hotels, resorts, airlines, 
cruise lines, theme parks, and tour operators, along with government tourism 
agencies and several embassies, to promote regional tourism collaboration.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation chairman AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik will 
inaugurate the fair tomorrow with the presence of High Commissioner of the 
Maldives and Ambassador of the Philippines to Bangladesh. 

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is the title sponsor, with the Maldives as the 
prime partner country and Intercontinental Dhaka serving as the hospitality 
partner.

On the occasion, High Commissioner of Maldives to Bangladesh Shiuneen Rasheed 
said the people-to-people connections between the countries are robust and 
can be traced back to centuries.

"It is the essence of our current bilateral agenda. We are therefore excited 
to witness an exponential increase in the number of tourist arrivals from 
Bangladesh," she said.

This is indeed the beginning of a new chapter of relations between Maldives 
and Bangladesh, said the envoy, adding that the main purpose of having such a 
strong presence at ATF this year is to show that Maldives is ready to warmly 
welcome our Bangladesh friends to our shores.

This year 23 companies from Maldives are participating in this fair.