Bangladesh tourists post record 50 pc growth in Sri Lanka , 17 pc in Nepal

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

Staff Correspondent: As India tightens tourist visas to Bangladeshis since July 2024 on political, strategic and security grounds, Bangladeshi tourists are penetrating in rest south Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan with Pakistan being explored as a new destination, sources said.      

Meanwhile, the number of Bangladeshi tourists posted a sound growth in Sri Lanka and Nepal in 2025 compared to the previous year 2024, sources said.

The number of Bangladeshi tourists in Nepal recorded 57,545 in 2025 posting 17 per cent growth in 2025 over the 2024 calendar year.   

A total of 57,545 Bangladeshi tourists visited Nepal in 2025 as against 48848 tourists and 36,483 Bangladeshis in 2023, according to the Nepal Tourism Board.

According to the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 48848 Bangladeshis visited Nepal in 2024 as against 36,483 Bangladeshis visited the Himalayan country in 2023.

Maldives Monetary Authority, approximately 33,020 Bangladesh visited the Maldives in 2025 as against 33,295 Bangladeshis in 2024

Meanwhile, Nepal has become a popular and lucrative tourist destination to Bangladeshis as the Himalayan country has witnessed a substantial growth of Bangladeshi tourists over the last three calendar years

The number of Bangladeshi tourists posted 34 per cent growth to neighboring Nepal in  2024 as the Indian government has restricted the issuing of visas to Bangladeshis since the ungracious departure of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, sources in New Delhi and Dhaka said.

In 2023, a total of 36,483 Bangladeshis visited Nepal (28,362 men and 8113). In 2022, over 25,000 Bangladeshi tourists visited Nepal, which is close to the pre-pandemic level.

A senior editor of a vernacular English daily while talking to this correspondent said that he visited Nepal 50 times during his life as he considers Nepal as one of the most lucrative and beautiful countries in the world.

Nepal welcomed over 1.15 million foreign tourists in 2025, a rise of one percent compared to 2024, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) told the Xinhua

A total of 1,158,459 tourists visited Nepal, representing a 97 percent recovery compared to the pre-COVID pandemic level of 2019, according to the NTB. While the Himalayan country witnessed steady growth in tourist arrivals throughout the year, political unrest in early September impacted visitor numbers, the NTB data show.

In September, foreign tourist arrivals declined by 18.3 percent, but the sector recovered over the following three months compared to the same period of the previous year.

India remained the largest source market, accounting for 25.2 percent of total foreign tourist arrivals, with 292,438 visitors. It was followed by the United States with 112,316 visitors.

China ranked third, with 95,480 Chinese tourists visiting Nepal. The United Kingdom stood fourth with 58,684 visitors, followed by Bangladesh in fifth place with 57,545 visitors

Nepal welcomed 230,085 and 150,962 tourists in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In 2022, the foreign tourist numbers shot up to 614,869.

NTB Director Maniraj Lamichhane said the number of foreign tourists has been increasing in recent days. He expressed the belief that a significant number of tourists would come from other countries including neighbouring countries in the coming days as a result of tourism promotion programmes.

Meanwhile, in July 2023, 50 per cent of the total tourists came from SAARC countries. Among them, 21,357 were from India, 26,096 from Bangladesh, 807 from Bhutan, 484 from Sri Lanka, and 372 from Pakistan.

Apart from China, South Korea had 13,075 visitors from Asian countries. Among European countries, the largest number of tourists, 3,630, came from the United Kingdom. There were 1,102 visitors from Australia, and 653 from Canada.

As per tourism entrepreneurs, Chinese tourists, along with sightseeing, are also interested in adventure and outdoor activities. Hence, they consider Nepal as an “Alps-like” destination.

Meanwhile, Nepal Ambassador to Bangladesh Ghanshyam Bhandari in an interview with The Business Standard said “ The two countries offer unique and diverse tourist products that can complement each other. In 2022, over 25,000 Bangladeshi tourists visited Nepal, which is close to the pre-pandemic level. However, considering the number of outbound tourists from Bangladesh, this figure remains relatively low. To fully capitalise on the opportunities, we need to promote tourism circuits and build stronger linkages between our touristic destinations. Facilitating smooth and hassle-free travel between our countries through enhanced air and land connectivity will be critical. We can also explore opportunities for collaboration in adventure tourism, medical tourism, and eco-tourism projects. We stand ready to share our experiences with Bangladesh in this regard.”

According to data released by the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 57,726 tourists came to Nepal in July 2023. Out of that only 21 thousand 357 Indians have come. In second place are Chinese citizens. Their number is 5 thousand 593 people. According to the board, the number of American tourists is 5,561.

Among other Asian countries, 1,375 tourists came from South Korea after China. Most of the European countries, 3,630 British tourists have come to Nepal. According to the data, 1 thousand 102 Tourists came to Nepal from Australia and 653 people came from Canada.

As per tourism entrepreneurs, Chinese tourists, along with sightseeing, are also interested in adventure and outdoor activities. Hence, they consider Nepal as an “Alps-like” destination.

As Bangladesh and Nepal are separated by the “Siliguri Corridor”, the number of Bangladesh tourists to Nepal will easily cross one lakh, provided India allows transit to Bangladeshi tourists through the chicken neck, said members of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) and Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB)

The two nations are separated by the “Siliguri Corridor” – a 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide stretch of territory of the Indian state of West Bengal that lies between southern Nepal and northern Bangladesh.

The number of Bangladeshi tourists in Sri Lanka recorded 59,563 in 2025 posting some 50 per cent growth in 2025 over 2024 calendar year.   

A total of 59,563 Bangladeshi tourists visited Sri Lanka in 2025 as against 39,555  tourists and 17,846  Bangladeshis  in 2023.

Vikash Fernando, Manager of  Esna Holidays of Sri Lanka, while talking to this correspondent said thast visa restriction by Thailand and India encouraged Bangladeshis  to choose Sri Lanka as a tourist pot in 2025

Shiblul Azam Koreshi, former president of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), while talking to this correspondent said that Sri Lankan

Tourism Board took a massive plan to boost the tourism sector that help woo Bangladeshi tourists.

Shiblul Azam Koreshi said that  Bangladesh government should put emphasis on the tourism sector and have mid and long term plans to woo tourists,

The island country recorded 2.36 million foreign tourists in 2025, 2,053,465 in 2024 and 1,487,303 in  2023, according to the report of the Research & International Relations Division at Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). He said the local tourism sector in Bangladesh  will get some boosts after the political government is restored in Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka recorded its highest number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2025, with tourism earnings reaching new annual records despite disruptions caused by Cyclone Ditwah, said the country's foreign minister at s media briefing, according to Xinhua.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath said Sri Lanka received more than 2.36 million foreign tourists during the year, the highest number recorded in a single calendar year.

Tourism revenue totaled 3.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, confirming the sector's position as the country's second-largest source of foreign exchange, the minister added.

Tourist inflows remained strong despite the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the island at the end of November. The minister said tourism arrivals continued following the disaster due to policy support measures and promotional activity.

Sri Lanka has set a minimum target of 3 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2026, representing an increase of about 27 percent from 2025 levels. Authorities expect tourism growth to contribute to economic recovery efforts as overall growth projections for 2026 were revised downward to 2.9 percent by the International Monetary Fund following the cyclone.

As Nepal gives on arrival visas to Bangladeshis and the Indian High Commission offices in Dhaka, Sylhet, Khulna, Sylhet and Chattagram have restricted the issuing of visas, Bangladeshi tourists visited Nepal in good number during the months of September- December, said a member of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB).

Since the political change in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024, Bangladeshi tourists will start visiting Pakistan from this year in good numbers. Sources said that some 15,000 Bangladeshis are expected to visit Pakistan in a year.   

Biman Bangladesh Airlines resumed direct flights on the Dhaka-Karachi-Dhaka route after a 13-year hiatus. The inaugural flight, BG-341, departed Dhaka for Karachi Thursday (29 January). A total of 150 passengers travelled on the inaugural flight. Under the winter schedule, flights on this route will operate every Thursday and Saturday.

With the launch of this route, direct connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan has been established. The route is expected to play a significant role in promoting trade and commerce, expanding educational exchanges, and fostering cultural ties between the two countries.

Biman last operated flights to Karachi in 2012. The resumption of the route is expected to strengthen trade, educational exchange, cultural ties, and diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan.