To enhance regional tourism, Dhaka and Colombo are considering starting a cruise service.

To enhance regional tourism, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are considering introducing a cruise service between the two nations.

According to BTB sources, a virtual meeting was recently convened by the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) with the involvement of key stakeholders.

"We have memorandums of understanding (MoU) on tourism with a number of nations," BTB Chief Executive Officer Dr Jabed Ahmed told The Business Standard. We're also planning to sign an MoU with Sri Lanka in the tourism sector."

"As part of the blue economy, one of the terms in the deal would be to create a cruise line. "Considering the profitability of the business, we may add India in the cruise line," he said.

"Other businesspeople would come forward to create cruises in Bangladesh if we can start ocean cruises in the region," he added.

According to reports, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga met at the Ministry of Tourism in Colombo and resolved to take efforts to start a cruise service between the two nations.

According to Tareq Md Ariful Islam, a tourist memorandum of understanding has been developed and will be signed soon.

Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that through regional platforms such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, more attention should be paid to uplifting the tourism industry in the South Asian region.

He also stated that these countries should develop an united tourism action plan through a summit of South Asian tourism ministers.

The support of people working in the tourism sector in Sri Lanka is crucial for the resurrection of the tourism industry in Bangladesh, according to Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Tareq Md Ariful Islam, who asked the Sri Lankan tourism minister's assistance in this endeavor.

Sri Lanka, according to Prasanna Ranatunga, is ready to take action at any time.

In 2017, and again in 2019, Journey Plus, a Bangladeshi tour operator, organized the first ever trip by an international cruise liner to Bangladesh.

"We overcame several hurdles to include Bangladesh on the world's cruise map," stated Tawfiq Rahman, CEO of Journey Plus. The government did not provide us with enough assistance. After that, we didn't take any further steps to organize a tour after 2019."

In 2017, Journey Plus organized the 'Silversea Discover Expeditions,' which brought 162 foreign tourists to Maheshkhali Island and the Sundarbans from 17 different countries. They were aboard the Asia Expedition Cruise from Colombo to Kolkata.

Journey Plus struggled for years to bring Silversea, a premium cruise company based in Monaco, to the region and launch additional routes that included Bangladesh.