BD, Nepal seek stronger tourism ties through Bay-Himalaya link

Nepalese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari has emphasised the vital role tourism and people-to-people connections play in Bangladesh-Nepal relations.

He shed light on the growing ties between the two countries and called for greater efforts to ‘truly connect the heights of the Himalayas with the depths of the Bay of Bengal’.

"As he highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Government of Nepal to improve tourism infrastructure, he also appreciated the important contributions of travel and tour entrepreneurs in further positioning Nepal as a preferred tourist destination," said the Ambassador.

The Embassy of Nepal, in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, organized the Nepal-Bangladesh Tourism Meet under the theme Destination Nepal: From the Bay of Bengal to the Himalayas in Chattogram on Wednesday evening.

Rohini Prasad Khanal, Officiating Director of Tourism Marketing and Promotion Department at the Nepal Tourism Board, delivered a presentation on Nepal’s diverse tourism products and potential, urging the participating travel agents and tour operators to strengthen efforts towards building more robust tourism linkages between the two countries.

Highlighting Bangladesh as one of Nepal’s major source markets, he expressed optimism about an increased flow of Bangladeshi tourists in the days ahead.

Mount Everest Summiteer Babar Ali shared brief remarks about his experiences in Nepal during his successful summit to Mount Everest in 2024 and his recent ascent to Mount Annapurna.

The Presidents of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) and Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) of Chattogram also spoke at the event, highlighting the strong tourism cooperation and growing business ties between Nepal and Bangladesh.

Nepali students studying in Chattogram showcased Nepali folk cultural performances.

The programme also featured a raffle draw, with tour packages and round trip air tickets for the Dhaka–Kathmandu sector sponsored by Nepali tour and travel agencies, Himalaya Airlines and Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Prior to the formal ceremony, B2B and networking sessions were held among Nepali and Bangladeshi travel and tour entrepreneurs.

The visiting delegation from Nepal included officials of the Nepal Tourism Board and representatives of 13 different tour and travel operators.

The programme was attended by over 120 participants including Chattogram-based representatives of ATAB, TOAB, hotels and airlines, and leading organidations from the tourism and hospitality sector.