Bangladeshi tourists in India, Nepal, Bhutan rising

The number of Bangladeshi tourists in India, Nepal and Bhutan has increased in recent times, according to reports published on websites in the countries.

The number of Bangladeshi tourists in India rose by 12.4 per cent in the first quarter (Q1) of the current calendar year.

Statistics available with the Indian tourism ministry showed that around 0.57 million Bangladeshi tourists visited India in January-March period of 2018.

The number was 0.50 million in the same period of the past year.

During the period, highest number of Bangladeshi tourists visited India in the month of March which was 0.20 million. The number was 0.19 million in February and 0.18 million in January this year.

Bangladeshi tourists are now contributing around one-fifth of the foreign tourists in India. Last year, some 2.0 million Bangladeshis visited India.

Meanwhile, a report by www.kuenselonline.com of Bhutan said Bangladesh is the second source of tourists travelled in Bhutan in 2017.

India remained the main market in 2017 making up 51.14 per cent of the total leisure visitors followed by Bangladesh, Unites States, China and South Korea making up the other top five markets.

According to visitor arrival statistics 2017, Bhutan saw an increase of about 24.9 per cent in regional arrivals in 2017 less than an increase of 50.43 per cent recorded in the previous year.

Another report by thehimalayantimes.com adds, tourist arrivals in Nepal from Bangladesh increased by 35.3 per cent in 2017.

Issuing a press statement, NTB informed that foreign tourist arrivals from the SAARC nations registered 18.1 per cent growth in the first three months of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.