Asian Tourism Fair begins Sept 17 in Dhaka

The 13th Asian Tourism Fair (ATF) 2026, featuring a wide range of domestic and international travel and tourism opportunities, will begin on September 17, 2026, at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB), Dhaka. 

The three-day fair will continue until September 19, remaining open daily from 10am to 7pm, said organisers of the event.

At a press conference held on Monday at Crowne Plaza Dhaka Gulshan, and Asian Tourism Fair Chairman Md Mohiuddin Helal briefed the media on various aspects and objectives of the fair. Md Samimuzzaman, chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, attended the press conference as the chief guest.

With the endorsement of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and the overall support and participation of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) and the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), this year’s fair will bring together more than 200 organisations from 10 countries, including Bangladesh, across approximately 300 booths in three halls.

Hotels, resorts, tour operators, travel agencies, airlines, government and private tourism organisations, as well as foreign embassies and missions, will showcase their tourism products, services and special offers for visitors.

Major attractions of the fair include the Destination Bangladesh Showcase, International Tourism Showcase and Bangladesh Tourism Investment Showcase. The programme will also feature B2B sessions, seminars, destination presentations, panel discussions, product promotions and networking opportunities. Cultural performances from Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines will be held every evening.

Speaking at the press conference, Md Mohiuddin Helal, also the editor of Parjatan Bichitra, said, “ATF 2026 will play an important role in strengthening business connections among domestic and international tourism stakeholders, promoting tourism products and creating new opportunities for tourism investment in Bangladesh.”

Chief Guest Md Samimuzzaman said, “Tourism fairs of this nature are highly important for the development of Bangladesh’s tourism industry. Through coordinated participation of the public and private sectors, ATF will help showcase Bangladesh’s tourism potential and investment opportunities both domestically and internationally. Overall, the Asian Tourism Fair has evolved into an important platform for Bangladesh’s tourism industry.”

He further stated that the fair has been endorsed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, while Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation will provide overall support and participate in the event.

Representatives from Thailand, the Philippines, Maldives and Malaysia, along with representatives of various partners and sponsors, attended the press conference. Among others, Khabir-Uddin Ahmed, Founder President of the Tourism Resort Industry Association, and Tanzim Anwar, President of the Aviation and Travel Journalists Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB), were present, along with leaders of various tourism-related organisations. The event was moderated by Md Ziaul Haque Hawladar, General Manager of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.

Partners and sponsors

The title sponsor of ATF 2026 is Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Crowne Plaza Dhaka Airport is the Platinum Partner, Chuti Group Cox’s Bazar is the Co-Sponsor, Crowne Plaza Dhaka Gulshan is the Hospitality Partner, Vhaiya Hotels is the Investment Partner and Sukher Khamar is the Agro-Tourism Partner.

Other partners include Convoy Service as Transport Partner, M360 as ICT Partner, The Travel Bound as Official Publication, Dhaka Dinner Cruise as Cruise Partner and NRB Vistara Limited as Official Travel Partner.

Representatives of the fair’s partners and sponsors also highlighted their preparations and plans to offer special discounts and promotional packages to visitors ahead of the upcoming winter travel season.

Focus on community, regional and sustainable tourism

Chairman Md Mohiuddin Helal said ATF 2026 has placed particular emphasis on Bangladesh’s diverse regional tourism products, including haor tourism, Sundarbans tourism, river tourism, adventure tourism, community-based tourism and eco-tourism. International participants will also promote their respective destinations and tourism products.

The fair has been designed to accommodate the interests and participation of children, students, tourism businesses and general visitors. Special attention has also been given to ensuring the participation of women entrepreneurs and community-based tourism initiatives.

Highlighting the importance of media in promoting tourism, Md Mohiuddin Helal invited representatives of all forms of media to cover and participate in the fair.

Inauguration and closing ceremony

The Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism has kindly consented to inaugurate the fair as the chief guest on September 17 at 11am at ICCB. The Secretary of the Ministry will attend as the guest of honour. The Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, CEO of Bangladesh Tourism Board, and ambassadors and representatives of participating countries are expected to attend as special guests.

The Minister of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs has also kindly consented to attend the closing ceremony as the chief guest on September 19 at 4pm.

Entry and visitor attractions

The entry fee is Tk30. Visitors purchasing an entry coupon will have the opportunity to participate in a raffle draw, with attractive prizes and gift vouchers, including complimentary air tickets, offering opportunities to travel to domestic and international destinations.

The organisers invited all travel enthusiasts, tourism professionals and members of the public to visit the 13th Asian Tourism Fair 2026 from September 17-19 at ICCB, Dhaka.