Travellertimes

27/09/2024

27/09/2024

Join to us pursuit of peace is a continuing endeavour, and progress through tourism is more relevant than ever.Tourism can play a vital role as a c...

27/09/2024

Sustainable Development Goals
EN
SP
FR
RU
AR
ZH
About Us»
Governing Bodies
About UN Tourism»
Our Management
Member States
Affiliate Members
Geneva Liaison Office
UN Tourism Ambassadors
Regional Departments»
Africa
Americas
Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Middle East
Employment
UN Tourism and the UN system»
Why Tourism?
Tourism in the 2030 Agenda
TOURISM 4 SDGs
World Tourism Day
Tourism and the G20 Economies
Tourism and COVID-19
Our Focus»
Sustainable Development»
Biodiversity
Climate Action
Global Tourism Plastics Initiative
Circularity through Food & Plastics
Hotel Energy Solutions (HES)
Observatories (INSTO)
One Planet
Resource Efficiency
Travel facilitation
Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
International Code for the Protection of Tourists
Product Development»
Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism
Gastronomy and Wine Tourism
Sports Tourism
Mountain Tourism
Rural Tourism
Urban Tourism
Destination Management
Innovation, Education & Investments»
Innovation Projects
Investments Strategy
Tourism Startup Competitions
UN Tourism Challenges
Ethics, Culture & Social Responsibility»
Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
World Committee on Tourism Ethics
Ethics Convention
Accessibility
Tourism and Culture
Women’s Empowerment and Tourism
COVID-19: Sociocultural Impact
Technical Cooperation»
Silk Road
UN Tourism Academy»
Courses, Webinars & Resources
UN Tourism Executive Education
UN Tourism QUEST
UN Tourism.TedQual
UN Tourism.TFDP
UN Tourism Students’ League
Resources & Data»
Tourism Data & Statistics»
Tourism Data Dashboard
UN Tourism Barometer
Tourism Statistics Database
Global SDG Data
Market Intelligence
Tourism Statistics Methodology»
Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA)
International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics (IRTS)
Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST)
Language Services
Publications»
E-library
Glossary
Events
News»
UN Tourism News
Latest News
Media Zone
Search
Search

Wordl Tourism Day 2024: Tourism and Peace
27 September 2024 | Tbilisi, Georgia

Join the celebration!


Concept Note
Concept Note

General Information Note
Information Note

Share
Spread the word!

Provisonal Programme
Programme




António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
Message For World Tourism Day: "Tourism and Peace"
Guterres
Tourism brings people together.

On this World Tourism Day, we reflect on the profound connection between tourism and peace.

Sustainable tourism can transform communities – creating jobs, fostering inclusion and strengthening local economies.

By valuing and preserving cultural and natural heritage, it can help reduce tensions and nurture peaceful coexistence.

Tourism can also promote economic interdependence between neighbours, encouraging cooperation and peaceful development.

Read more
At the same time, tourism broadens horizons. Every traveller can be an ambassador, engaging respectfully with local populations, recognizing our diversity and shared humanity, and the values that unite us all.

As we celebrate tourism, let us travel responsibly, build bridges, and promote mutual respect among cultures and nations.

Together, we can harness the power of tourism to advance peace and prosperity for all.

27/09/2024

Tourism Developers Association of Bangladesh celebrating World tourism day 2024.

27/09/2024

Ethics for Tourism, promotes its ethical principles, and monitors their practical application by the private sector including the right to Tourism.

Tourism should always serve as a reminder of the importance of dialogue, peace, tolerance and mutually beneficial interactions between people and countries.

21/09/2024

The Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort has announced the appointment of Pedro Moreira as the resort's new General Manager. With over 10 years of experience under his belt in the hotel industry, Moreira is returning to the Minor Hotels Group for the next stage of his career.

Pedro Moreira's career started in 2013 and has seen him work for big names in the hotel industry, such as the Ritz Four Seasons, The Parisian (Macau), THE 13 (Macau), Vila Vita Parc, and São Lourenço do Barrocal. He has held roles such as General Operations Manager, Accommodation Manager, and Front Office Manager, among others. Between 2020 and 2023, he was part of the Minor Hotels team as Accommodation Manager at Tivoli Marina Vilamoura Algarve Resort, and in 2021 he was recognised as the Best Accommodation Manager in Portugal in the Xénios Awards, organised by the Portuguese Hotel Managers Association (ADHP).

He holds a degree in European Studies from the University of Coimbra and two Postgraduate degrees: one in Hotel Management from Universidade Europeia, and another in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University.

View Pedro Moreira's LinkedIn Profile
Tivoli Carvoeiro Algarve Resort
Pedro Moreira is a graduate of Cornell Execed in Ithaca, New York - United States

15/09/2024

The President of Skal International Madrid had the honor to meet with , Executive Director of UNWTO - United Nations World Tourism Organization Ramon Adillon At that meeting, presented Natalia PBayona with the badge of Skål International with the flag of , her country of origin. Accompanied by co-founder of

15/09/2024

After the summer break, on Wednesday, September 11, the Skal internacional de Madrid activities resumed with the traditional lunches - colloquium. On this occasion the guest was the excellent Mrs. , Ambassador of in , who came accompanied by Mrs. Edit Székely, the ambassador of economic and commercial affairs of the embassy.
The lunch, which was held at the official hotel of Skal Madrid, the Hotel Chamartin TheOne , was attended by about 30 diners, all of them high professionals from the different tourism subsectors.
Ms Tóth spoke about Hungary's Presidency in this second half of the year, as well as data related to her country's economy and . During the meal, he answered all the questions that were raised.

15/09/2024

Skal Madrid President Recognized Among Spain’s Top 150 Influential Tourism Professionals..

Mr Sastre’s profound commitment to his profession and remarkable contributions during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic earned him a spot on the list year after year. Amidst the pandemic’s disruptions to the tourism industry, his resilience and exemplary work have set a standard for others.

This year’s edition also highlights Mr Sastre’s affiliation with Skal International through the prominently displayed profile picture. His involvement with Skal has further reinforced the organization’s prominence and influence in the tourism domain.

The recognition of Ramón Adillón Sastre among Spain’s most influential tourism professionals serves as a testament to his dedication and passion for the industry. As the President of Skal Madrid, he continues to be an inspiring figure for fellow professionals and an invaluable asset to the tourism community.

29/06/2024

ট্যুর অপারেটর সেবায় মূসক আরোপ পর্যটন শিল্প বিকাশে অন্তরায় ---গোল টেবিল আলোচনায় বক্তারা
৫:৩৬ অপরাহ্ণ ২৯, জুন ২০২৪

আগামী ২০২৪-২৫ অর্থবছরের বাজেটে পর্যটন খাতে বিদ্যমান মূল্য সংযোজন কর-ভ্যাট বা মূসক সুবিধা প্রত্যাহারের পাশাপাশি ট্যুর অপারেটরদের সেবায় নতুন করে ভ্যাট বসানোর প্রস্তাব করা হয়েছে।

বাংলাদেশের পর্যটন শিল্পের শীর্ষ সংগঠন ট্যুর অপারেটরস অ্যাসোসিয়েশন অব বাংলাদেশ (টোয়াব) আশঙ্কা করছেন, এতে ভ্রমণ-ব্যয় বেড়ে যাবে এবং বিকাশমান পর্যটনখাত ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হবে। কারণ পর্যটন শিল্প সরাসরি দেশের জিডিপিতে অবদান রাখছে, বহির্বিশ্বে বাংলাদেশের ব্র্যান্ডিং করছে এবং সর্বোপরি স্থানীয় আর্থ-সামাজিক উন্নয়নে প্রভাব ফেলছে।

এই পরিপ্রেক্ষিতে শনিবার (২৯ জুন) রাজধানীর মহাখালীতে হোটেল অবকাশের কনফারেন্স হলে ‘ট্যুর অপারেটর সেবায় মূসক আরোপ পর্যটন শিল্প বিকাশে অন্তরায়’ শিরোনামে টোয়াব-এর উদ্যোগে এক গোল টেবিল আলোচনার আয়োজন করা হয়।

এতে সভাপতিত্ব করেন টোয়াবের প্রেসিডেন্ট এবং এফবিবিসিআই ট্রাভেল ট্যুর এন্ড হসপিটালিটি স্ট্যান্ডিং কমিটির চেয়ারম্যান মো. রাফেউজ্জামান।

তিনি আশংকা প্রকাশ করেন, পর্যটন খাতে মূসক আরোপ আমাদের প্যাকেজের খরচ বেড়ে যাবে।এতে দেশীয় বা অভ্যন্তরীণ পর্যটক চলে যাবেন প্রতিবেশী দেশগুলোতে আর বিদেশি পর্যটকরা আগ্রহ হারাবেন বাংলাদেশ ভ্রমণে। সবচেয়ে আশঙ্কার বিষয় দেশে পর্যটন খাতে বড় বড় যেসব বিনিযোগ হচ্ছে তা বন্ধ হওয়ার উপক্রম হবে। যার প্রভাব পড়বে অর্থনীতিতে। পর্যটন খাত মাত্র কিছুদিন আগেই করোনা মহামারির ক্ষতি কাটিয়ে উঠতে শুরু করেছে। এই সিদ্ধান্তের ফলে আমাদের পর্যটন শিল্প ব্যপকভাবে ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হবে। টোয়াব প্রেসিডেন্ট বিকাশমান পর্যটন শিল্পের স্বার্থে ট্যুর অপারেটরদের সেবার উপর প্রস্তাবিত বাজেটে মুসক আরোপের প্রস্তাব রহিত করার দাবি জানান।

গোল টেবিল আলোচনায় বাংলাদেশ পর্যটন কর্পোরেশনের সাবেক চেয়ারম্যান আখতারুজ জামান খান কবির, বাংলাদেশ ট্যুরিজম বোর্ডের সাবেক সিইও জাবেদ আহমেদ, বিডি ইনবাউন্ডের ফাউন্ডার প্রেসিডেন্ট রেজাউল ইকরাম, ট্যুরিজম ডেভেলপার্স এসোসিয়েশন অব বাংলাদেশ (টিডাব) এর চেয়ারম্যান আসলাম খান, এসোসিয়েশন অব ট্রাভেল এজেন্ট অব বাংলাদেশ (আটাব) এর জেনারেল সেক্রেটারি আফসিয়া জান্নাত সালেহ, এভিয়েশন ও ট্যুরিজম জার্নালিস্ট ফোরামের (এটিজেএফবি) এর প্রেসিডেন্ট তানজিম আনোয়ার ও সাবেক সভাপতি নাদিরা কিরণ, বাংলাদেশ ইন্টারন্যাশনার হোটেল এসোসিয়েশন (বিহা) এর সেক্রেটারি মহসীন হক হিমেল, হাউজবোট ওনার্স এসোসিয়েসন অব সুনামগঞ্জের সেক্রেটারি নাইমুল হাসান, ট্যুরিজম রিসোর্ট ইন্ডাস্ট্রিজ অ্যাসোসিয়েশন অব বাংলাদেশ (ট্রিয়াব) এর ফাউন্ডার ইন্টারন্যাশনাল অ্যাফেয়ার্স সেক্রেটারি ইরফান আহমেদ, ট্যুরিজম ডেভেলপার্স এসোসিয়েশন অব বাংলাদেশ (টিডাব) উপদেষ্টা জামিউল আহমেদ, ট্রাভেল টক ম্যাগাজিনের এডিটর মাজহারুল হক মান্না, টোয়াবের ফার্স্ট ভাইস প্রেসিডেন্ট আবুল কালাম আজাদ, টোয়াবের সদ্য বিদায়ী প্রেসিডেন্ট শিবলুল আজম কোরেশী প্রমুখ বক্তব্য।

আলোচনা সভায় টোয়াবের পরিচালকবৃন্দ, উপদেষ্টাবৃন্দ, টোয়াবের সদস্যবৃন্দ, টোয়াবের সেক্রেটারি এবং প্রিন্ট ও ইলেকট্রনিক্স মিডিয়ার সাংবাদিকরা উপস্থিত ছিলেন।

গোলটেবিল আলোচনায় উপস্থিত সকলে একযোগে কাজ করে সঠিক তথ্য-উপাত্ত ও পরিসংখ্যান নিয়ে সরকারের সাথে আলোচনা করে ট্যুর অপারেটর সেবার মূসক আরোপ প্রত্যাহারের দাবি জানানোর বিষয়ে একমত পোষণ করেন।

23/06/2024

Travel World Editor and Publishers shahabuddin Ahmed Leave us!!! Inna Lillahi wainna elahi raziun !!ইন্না লিল্লাহে ওয়া ইন্না ইলাইহি রাজিউন।

Shahabuddin Ahmad, an eminent personality of Barisal, a senior journalist and tourism expert, Publisher-Editor of “The Travel World” magazine and former Chief of the Planning Cell at the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism died of cardiac arrest at the age of 89 on 21 June at 1:50 PM in Holly Family Red Crescent Hospital, Dhaka.

He has been buried at Banani Graveyard. On 24 June, Monday, a Dua-Mahfil will be held after Asar prayer for the salvation of the departed soul at Masque Al-Magfirah, Road-18, Sector-3, Uttara Model Town, Dhaka.

He survived by his wife and 3 daughters. He is the elder brother of Bir Bikram Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, who led the Guard of Honour to the newly formed Independent Government of Bangladesh at Mujibnagar and retired secretary to the Government of Bangladesh Dr. Mohammad Haroonur Rashid.

His career graph revolves around the tourism and journalism industries, making him an expert in those fields. He held diverse position starting as the Assistant Chief of the Pakistan Bureau of Tourism, Deputy Chief of the Tourism Cell at the Ministry of Defense in Pakistan, and post-Bangladesh Liberation at the Ministry of Commerce, Foreign Trade Division. He also served as Director of Public Relations at Bangladesh Bank, Director of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Secretary to the Board of Directors at Bangladesh Services Ltd. (Sheraton Hotel, Dhaka). His pivotal role in shaping policies, laws, rules, and regulations within the tourism industry underscored his significant contributions. Ahmad dedicated his entire life to the advancement of tourism and travel, leaving a permanent mark on the industry with his work extending beyond borders. He was also honored with the prestigious PATA GOLD AWARD by the Pacific Asia Tourism Association in 2019, a testament to his dedication and excellence in the field. He was also the member and advisor of PATA Bangladesh Chapter since 1983.
We will miss you Shahabuddin Vhai ...

11/06/2024

" SriLankan Airlines Introduces Easy Online Booking and Offline Payment Option"

TT Desk :June 11, 2024
Sri Lankan Airlines has introduced an easy online booking and offline payment option through www.srilankan.com, allowing jetsetters in Bangladesh to purchase air tickets and ancillary services again. Passengers who purchase online can now pay for their purchases at the Sri Lankan Airlines office in Dhaka within a convenient time frame. This new facility aims to make the pre-flight experience seamless for digital customers by offering a viable payment solution for online purchases.
Passengers who book through the Sri Lankan Airlines website enjoy exclusive access to unmatched fares and privileges not available elsewhere. Booking online provides benefits such as exclusive deals, promotions, a complimentary first date change and guaranteed best fares. The introduction of an offline payment option extends these benefits and more to passengers in Bangladesh who prefer the convenience of booking online.
SriLankan Airlines is the only carrier with a daily direct service between Dhaka and Colombo, Sri Lanka. With the airline’s homebase positioned as a leading gateway in Southern Asia, SriLankan is able to deliver convenient connections via Colombo to key cities in the Far East, the Middle East, India, Europe and the Maldives for Bangladeshi passengers.
The launch of the online booking and offline payment option was led by SriLankan Airlines’ Bangladesh and ecommerce teams, aiming to address challenges faced by customers in making online payments in foreign currency through credit cards. By leveraging technology, SriLankan successfully streamlined the booking process, providing greater flexibility to passengers in Bangladesh.
This new initiative underscores the significance of Bangladesh in SriLankan’s network and reflects the airline’s dedication to ensuring its services are inclusive and globally accessible. Passengers who reserve air tickets and other services online can visit the SriLankan Airlines office at Erectors House (4th Floor), 18 Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani C/A, Dhaka 1213, to make the payment and have their tickets issued. For more information, call +880 1708-482027/28

04/06/2024

Menu

EN
About Us»
Governing Bodies
About UN Tourism»
Our Management
Member States
Affiliate Members
Geneva Liaison Office
UN Tourism Ambassadors
Regional Departments»
Africa
Americas
Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Middle East
Employment
UN Tourism and the UN system»
Why Tourism?
Tourism in the 2030 Agenda
TOURISM 4 SDGs
World Tourism Day
Tourism and COVID-19
Our Focus»
Sustainable Development»
Biodiversity
Climate Action
Global Tourism Plastics Initiative
Circularity through Food & Plastics
Hotel Energy Solutions (HES)
Observatories (INSTO)
One Planet
Resource Efficiency
Travel facilitation
Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
International Code for the Protection of Tourists
Product Development»
Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism
Gastronomy and Wine Tourism
Sports Tourism
Mountain Tourism
Rural Tourism
Urban Tourism
Destination Management
Innovation, Education & Investments»
Innovation Projects
Investments Strategy
Tourism Startup Competitions
UN Tourism Challenges
Ethics, Culture & Social Responsibility»
Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
World Committee on Tourism Ethics
Ethics Convention
Accessibility
Tourism and Culture
Women’s Empowerment and Tourism
COVID-19: Sociocultural Impact
Technical Cooperation»
Silk Road
UN Tourism Academy»
Courses, Webinars & Resources
UN Tourism Executive Education
UN Tourism.QUEST
UN Tourism.TedQual
UN Tourism.TFDP
UN Tourism Students’ League
Resources & Data»
Tourism Data & Statistics»
Tourism Data Dashboard
UN Tourism Barometer
Tourism Statistics Database
Global SDG Data
Market Intelligence
Tourism Statistics Methodology»
Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA)
International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics (IRTS)
Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST)
Language Services
Events
Publications»
E-library
Glossary
News»
UN Tourism News
Latest News
Media Zone
Search
Search

share this content
Share this article on facebook
Share this article on twitter
Share this article on linkedin
China recovers its position as top spender in 2023 as Asia and the Pacific reopens to tourism
All Regions
4 Jun 2024
China has recovered its position as top spender on international tourism in 2023 as Asia and the Pacific consolidates its recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. In 2022, the list of top spenders was headed by the United States. France, Spain and USA took the top spots for most-visited destinations.

Top Tourism Spenders in 2023
Chinese expenditure on travel abroad reached USD 196.5 billion in 2023, ahead of the United States (USD 150 billion), Germany (USD 112 billion), the United Kingdom (USD 110 billion) and France (USD 49 billion). Making up the top ten spenders for 2023 are Canada, Italy, India, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea. India jumped to 8th place, from 14th in 2019, confirming the growing importance of the country as a source market, while Italy rose from 10th to 7th position.

Top in arrivals and receipts: France, Spain and USA consolidate their positions
France consolidated its position as the world’s most visited destination in 2023 with 100 million international tourist arrivals. Spain was second with 85 million, followed by the United States (66 million), Italy (57 million) and Türkiye, which closed the top five with 55 million international tourists.

Completing the top ten most visited destinations in 2023 are Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece and Austria. Compared to before the pandemic, Italy, Türkiye, Mexico, Germany and Austria all rose one position, while the United Kingdom rose from 10th to 7th and Greece from 13th to 9th.

On the side on international tourism receipts, the ranking is led by the United States, earning USD 176 billion in 2023, followed by Spain (USD 92 billion), the United Kingdom (USD 74 billion), France (USD 69 billion) and Italy (USD 56 billion).

Following the above, destinations earning the most from international tourism in 2023 include the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Macao (China), India and Mexico which complete the top 15 list of tourism earners.

Upward movements in the ranking among the top earners include the UK jumping to the 3rd position from 5th pre-pandemic, the United Arab Emirates from 13th to 6th, Türkiye from 12th to 7th, Canada from 15th to 9th, Saudi Arabia from 27th to 12th, and Mexico from 17th to 15th.

Croatia (from 32nd to 25th), Morocco (from 41st to 31st) and the Dominican Republic (43rd to 34th) also moved up in the Top 50 ranking by receipts in 2023, as did Qatar (from 51st to 37th) and Colombia (50th to 44th).

Looking ahead to a full recovery globally in 2024
As per the latest World Tourism Barometer, in 2023 international tourist arrivals recovered 89% of 2019 levels and 97% in Q1 2024. UN Tourism’s projection for 2024 points to a full recovery of international tourism with arrivals growing 2% above 2019 levels, backed by strong demand, enhanced air connectivity and the continued recovery of China and other major Asian markets.

Total export revenues from international tourism, including both receipts and passenger transport, reached an estimated USD 1.7 trillion in 2023, about 96% of pre-pandemic levels in real terms. Tourism direct GDP recovered pre-pandemic levels in 2023, reaching an estimated USD 3.3 trillion, equivalent to 3% of global GDP.

Travellertimes Dalton Zahir travellertimes

18/04/2024

#চীনের #ভিসা #আবেদন #সেবা কেন্দ্রের #উদ্বোধন :
: #ঢাকায় #চালু হলো চীনা ভিসা #সেন্টার!!

ভিসা আবেদন ও সেবা কার্যক্রম সহজ করার লক্ষ্যে এবার ঢাকায় ভিসা আবেদন ও সেবাকেন্দ্র চালু করলো চীন। বৃহস্পতিবার সকালে বনানীতে প্রাসাদ ট্রেড সেন্টারে আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে চীনা ভিসা সেন্টারের উদ্বোধন করেন বাংলাদেশে নিযুক্ত চীনা রাষ্ট্রদূত ইয়াও ওয়েন।

উদ্বোধনী অনুষ্ঠানে চীনা রাষ্ট্রদূত বলেন, ‘চীন ভ্রমণে বাংলাদেশি নাগরিকদের আগ্রহ বেড়েছে এ জন্যই ভিসা আবেদন ও সেবা কার্যক্রম সহজ করতে এই ভিসা সেন্টার চালু করা হয়েছে। এর ফলে সহজেই বাংলাদেশের মানুষ চীনে যেতে পারবেন। ভিসা আবেদন, ট্রাভেল ইনস্যুরেন্স, মেডিকেল চেকআপ সংক্রান্ত সব তথ্য চীনা ভিসা সেন্টার থেকে জানা যাবে।’

ভিসা সেন্টারের কারণে দুই দেশের সম্পর্ক আরও সুদৃঢ় হবে বলেও আশাবাদ ব্যক্ত করেন চীনা রাষ্ট্রদূত।

অনুষ্ঠানে পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়ের মহাপরিচালক (পূর্ব এশিয়া ও প্রশান্ত মহাসাগরীয়) তৌফিক হাসান বলেন, ‘চীনের এই নতুন স্মার্ট ভিসা সেন্টারের মাধ্যমে চীনা ভিসা আরও সহজ হবে। ভিসা সহজ হলে দুই দেশের জনগণের সম্পর্ক আরও বাড়বে।’

জানা গেছে. আজ উদ্বোধন হলেও আগামী ২১ এপ্রিল থেকে পুরোদমে চালু হবে এই ভিসা সেন্টারের কার্যক্রম। সপ্তাহে রবি থেকে বৃহস্পতিবার টানা পাঁচ দিন সকাল ৯টা থেকে বিকাল ৩টা পর্যন্ত চলবে।

সাধারণ পাসপোর্টধারীদের চীনের ভিসার জন্য শুরুতে অনলাইনে আবেদনপত্র পূরণ করতে ভিসা কেন্দ্রের ওয়েবসাইটে লগ-ইন করতে হবে। পরবর্তী প্রক্রিয়াকরণের জন্য যেতে হবে ভিসা কেন্দ্রে।

China Visa APPLICATION service center Grand Opening!! H.E. Yao Wen Ambasador of China were present at the occasion along with Invited Industry Leaders!!!

China opens visa centre in Dhaka!!!! The Chinese Embassy in Dhaka has opened a separate visa centre to provide better visa-related services to the people of Bangladesh.

Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen inaugurated the visa centre at the Prasad Trade Centre in the capital’s Banani area on Thursday.

General passport holders will no longer have to go to the embassy to receive a visa, the Chinese embassy said. However, those who have diplomatic or official passports will still have to apply at the embassy.

Explaining the reasoning for opening the visa centre, the ambassador said that exchanges between Bangladesh and China are increasing, close, and frequent at all levels and in all sectors.

“More and more Bangladeshi people are willing to travel to China, and their demand for Chinese visas has been growing,” he said.

An average of 1,500 Bangladeshis applied for a Chinese visa every day last year despite a shortage of manpower and extended visa processing times, Wen said.

With the Dhaka centre, China has opened 103 visa processing centres in 55 countries and regions, the ambassador said.

Wen also noted that there had been positive results after the decision to shift the entire visa process in Bangladesh online last year.

The embassy officially launched the Chinese online visa application system on Jun 15, 2023. Since then, all steps including filling of application forms, submission of application documents and visa interviews have been conducted online.

In less than 10 months, nearly 44,000 visas of various types have been issued.

The Chinese embassy said that details of the application can be found on the visa centre’s website. In order to file an application, a fee is required in addition to the visa processing fee charged by the embassy and any express fee charged where applicable.

The visa centre will be open Sunday to Thursday, aside from holidays. Application and fee submissions are open from 9am to 3pm while passport collection hours are 9am to 4pm.

Those who hold ordinary passports need to log onto the visa centre’s website and initially fill out an online application for a Chinese visa. They must then go to the centre for further processing.

@ Banani

Travellertimes Travellerkey

10/04/2024

Eid mubarak