Remarks by Ambassador Mr. Ghanshyam Bhandari as the Special Guest at the Inauguration Ceremony of the Ninth Asia Tourism Fair 2022

Dhaka, 29 September 2022

Chairman of the Asian Tourism Fair Dhaka Mr. Mohiuddin Helal,

Esteemed Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism

Mr. Md. Mokameel Hossain,

Excellencies, the Ambassadors and High Commissioners,

Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation,

CEO of Bangladesh Tourism Board,

Distinguished Guests,

Friends from Media, and

Ladies and Gentlemen

Namaste and Good Morning!

I am honoured to attend this event and speak a few words.

At the outset, I would like to thank you, Mr. Mohiuddin Helal and your team, for inviting me to be a part of this inauguration ceremony.  

On behalf of the Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka and the Government of Nepal I would like to express our sincere thanks to you for making Nepal a ‘prime partner country’ of the Fair.

This is more significant we observe the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral relations between Nepal and Bangladesh.

As ambassador of the ‘prime partner country’, I would like to welcome all travel and tour entrepreneurs and exhibitors from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Malaysia, and Thailand.

I wish you all a great success in your mission.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Needless to say, tourism has been one of the areas hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the pandemic seems to be subsiding, travel and tourism is expected to recover.

Many people, who have not moved out of their houses and surroundings for the last three years, are eager to travel again.  

I am also confident that this Fair will provide an opportunity to those potential travelers to explore more about the places they wish to visit in the region and beyond.

When we say this, we must remember that tourism in our countries of South and Southeast Asia- is a sector with vast potentials.

Our countries offer unique touristic products.

And tourism for us is much more than just one of the sectors of economy.

It is about connecting peoples, societies, and cultures.

It is about building linkages between the Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal, hills and plains, and markets and minds.

Dear Friends,

Nepal and Bangladesh have always enjoyed excellent bilateral relations.

Our relations date back to Bangladesh’s liberation war and even before that.

These relations have evolved organically in a spirit of good neighbourliness.

The foundation of our relationship is built on civilizational, cultural, and linguistic linkages.

Our historic bonds of friendship, cooperation, mutual respect have been consolidated by the tremendous goodwill and close contacts between the peoples of our two countries.

This is where travel and tourism has played an important role.

Given the country’s history, topography and landscape, Nepal has been one of the close and preferred destinations for many Bangladeshi travelers.

This is indeed an important connecting thread between our two countries.

I take this opportunity to highlight that, we brand Nepal’s tourism under the motto of ‘Lifetime Experiences’.

In addition to the mountains, the ever-flowing Himalayan rivers, large lakes, green valleys, plains, beautiful waterfalls, national parks, and sites of cultural and archeological significance are our major tourist attractions.

Having said this, however, the greatest attraction is our people. From remote mountain villages to medieval hill-towns and plains, and the ancient cities of Kathmandu Valley, you will see welcoming people of Nepal with their widest smile.

The exceptional flavours of Nepalese cuisine can also offer tourists a unique experience.

I may sound more general and vague if I continue to talk about tourism.

That is why, we have a team of 15 people from Kathmandu to participate in this Fair. It is a joint team of Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Association of Travel Agents, and travel and tour entrepreneurs.

They are the most suitable people to tell the visitors what touristic products Nepal can offer. I am sure their participation in the Fair will contribute not only to promoting Nepal’s tourism in Bangladesh but also to bringing the peoples of our countries further close.

I conclude by once again thanking the organizers for this opportunity and wish this edition of the Fair all success:

  • In giving further momentum to the revival of tourism sector.
  • In building stronger bonds between the peoples and societies of our countries, and
  • Most importantly, in strengthening ties between Bangladesh and the participating countries.

I thank you for your attention.