The untapped potential of Bangladesh’s inbound tourism sector recently took centre stage during an in-depth dialogue in Dhaka between local journalists and Phiraya Woranitiyaowapha (K. Karn), the Managing Director of the Thai tour operator Rinnaya.

Drawing from her extensive eleven-day journey exploring major cities such as Rajshahi, Bogra, and Srimangal, Karn offered her assessment of the country's unique strengths and the systemic bottlenecks that currently stifle international visitor arrivals.

Phiraya Woranitiyaowapha (K. Karn)

Managing Director

Rinnaya (Thai Tour Operator)

Photograph: Oheduzzaman Titu

Her insights outline a possible way forward for how Bangladesh can successfully position itself to capture the lucrative Thai travel market, particularly by aligning its offerings with regional tour circuits.

Redefining Inbound Tourism through "Living Heritage"

At the heart of Bangladesh’s appeal is what Karn terms its "living heritage," a rare and powerful asset that distinguishes it from more heavily commercialised destinations.

Unlike other countries where ancient civilisations are preserved only in history books, Bangladesh maintains an active, visible, and moving cultural lifestyle that is experienced directly through daily encounters.

From the lush green landscapes and charming lake shores visible upon arrival to the nostalgic novelty of local rickshaws and vibrant street life, the country offers an immersive experience that feels like stepping back twenty years in time.

This organic charm is heavily reinforced by the extraordinary hospitality of the local people, whose warm, welcoming nature and spontaneous kindness leave a profound impression on international visitors.

Authenticity over Artificiality: The Nightlife Debate

This authentic charm directly intersects with a long-standing domestic debate regarding whether Bangladesh must introduce modern nightlife, nightclubs, and less-restricted alcohol sales to attract foreign travellers.

Karn strongly contends that for major demographics, such as Thai Buddhist travellers, modern nightlife is arguably irrelevant. “Visitors travelling for cultural and spiritual tourism do not care about nightclubs or bars”, says Karn. “Instead, they are deeply captivated by organic local lifestyles, such as walking through bustling traditional markets, drinking local lemon tea, and trying street kebab,” she posits.

She warns that introducing artificial nightlife across the board could actually dilute the country's organic appeal and risk spoiling local communities, emphasising that the focus must remain on preserving the traditional way of life as the primary tourism product.

The "Kolkata-Plus" Extended Tour Framework

To bypass the difficulties of marketing Bangladesh as a standalone destination, Karn proposes a strategic "Kolkata-Plus" model.

Under this approach, tour operators would gradually introduce Bangladesh to the Thai market by offering short, three-to-five-day extended holiday packages for tourists who are already visiting established regional hubs like Kolkata or Kathmandu.

This regional integration provides a practical gateway for travellers to experience primary destinations like Khulna and the Sundarbans mangrove forest, which she identifies as top-tier attractions due to their natural beauty and friendly local communities.

Transit Fatigue and the Challenge of National Highways

Karn is wary of Bangladesh’s notorious transportation system. Translating this tourism potential into sustained arrivals is severely hindered by critical infrastructure roadblocks, most notably long transit times and poor highway quality.

Karn shared her exhausting experience travelling to Srimangal, where a journey that should typically require four to five hours stretched into a gruelling ten-hour ordeal due to severely bumpy and unpaved roads. Furthermore, aggressive and erratic local driving habits make it virtually impossible for foreign travellers to rest or sleep while in transit.

To resolve this, she emphasises the need for premium transport options, such as high-comfort, first-class coaches, operated by smoother and more disciplined drivers.

Re-Engineering the Roadside Infrastructure

A similarly critical highway bottleneck is the total absence of clean, hygienic restrooms along national travel corridors. To modernise the travel experience, Karn recommends that Bangladesh establish well-maintained rest stops every two hours.

This recommendation is modelled directly after Thailand’s highway network, where travellers can find clean toilets, resting areas, and light refreshments every thirty to sixty minutes.

Karn suggests that these stops should not only provide clean facilities but also introduce high-quality local teas and light food options that make foreign travellers feel at home, creating a roadside environment where both domestic and international tourists are eager to stop and spend money.

Streamlining Entry: The Crucial E-Visa Solution

On an administrative level, the friction of embassy-level visa processing remains a massive barrier to spontaneous regional travel. Karn notes that implementing a seamless online visa (E-visa) system is the single most important step Bangladesh can take to invite tourism.

Allowing travellers to apply easily online by themselves eliminates the time-consuming necessity of visiting physical embassies, thereby facilitating quick, last-minute decisions to extend a regional trip into Bangladesh.

Unlocking these barriers also opens up massive retail potential, particularly in Dhaka's affordable garment sector, where international visitors are highly eager to spend money.

Storytelling as a Catalyst for the Buddhist Circuit

Unlocking the spiritual segment of the market also requires a dramatic improvement in guide training and historical narrative delivery. Bangladesh possesses a magnificent Buddhist circuit, including ancient historical sites like Paharpur and Mahasthangarh, which should naturally attract Thai travellers visiting nearby Bodhgaya.

However, ancient ruins can easily disappoint visitors who see "nothing but rocks" unless the local guides are equipped to vibrantly tell the underlying historical stories of these civilisations.

Karn suggests that guides must be trained to construct a narrative "wow" factor before tourists ascend the ruins, and they should proactively guide visitors to high-impact, scenic viewing angles that translate beautifully onto social media platforms.

Community-Based Tourism and Sustainable Eco-Crafts

Finally, Karn highlights how community-based tourism can be leveraged to generate direct economic opportunities for marginalised populations.

When visiting tribal regions, international tourists often expect to observe traditional lifestyle elements, such as indigenous apparel, and can feel underwhelmed when communities wear simple, modern clothing.

Bangladesh could adopt structured cultural showcase models similar to those utilised in China or Arunachal—where tribal communities are fairly compensated by tourists for sharing traditional dances and lifestyle demonstrations at scheduled times.

Additionally, she suggests training local communities to dry abundant natural water hyacinths and weave them into high-quality bags and eco-crafts.

When combined with attractive packaging, these sustainable products appeal heavily to European travellers, creating a direct pipeline for job creation and community enrichment.