Bangladesh’s tourist arrivals in India drops

Bangladesh’s tourist arrivals in India during the concluded year 2024 dropped by 20 per cent compared to the previous year 2023 amid political rift between two neighbouring countries.

USA topped the top tourist arrivals with 18.14 per cent, followed by Bangladesh with 17.57 per cent, UK 10.28 per cent, Australia with 5.20 and Canada with 4.78 per cent.

However, the during the month of December 2024, a total of 53,495 Bangladeshis visited India, perhaps the lowest in the last 20 years, sources said.

According to the Tourism Board of India, a total of 16,96,735 Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2024 as against approximately 2.12 million Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2023.

The relations between Dhaka and New Delhi reached a new low in the recent years as Sheikh Hasina, the most trusted partner of the Modi government, stepped down on August 5, 2024 against the backdrop of massive uprising, engineered by the common students.

India tightened the visa of Bangladeshi tourists on security and strategic ground that radical elements in Bangladesh have increased their position after Shiekh Hasina stepped down that Dhaka has rejected.

The number of Bangladeshi tourists visiting India has seen a drop in recent months, particularly noticeable in October-December of 2024.

According to the Tourism Board of India, Bangladesh’s tourist arrivals in December plummeted to a record 5.91 per cent of total tourist arrivals in India.

However, the data of the January-June of the 2024 showed that Bangladeshi tourist arrivals during the first six months of the last year showed a higher upward trend.

But the political turmoil during July-August in Bangladesh and ungracious departure of Shiekh Hasina through mass uprising pursued India on streamlining visas of Bangladesh during the period of July—December, 2024.

Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in December, 2024 were 10,28,765 as compared to 11,01,914 in December, 2023 and 12,26,398 in December, 2019 registering a growth of -6.6% and -16.1% with respect to 2023 and 2019 respectively. 1.2 FTAs during the period January-December, 2024 were 96,57,003 as compared to 95,20,928 in January-December 2023 and 1,09,30,355 in January-December, 2019 registering a growth of 1.4% and -11.6% with respect to 2023 and 2019 respectively, according to the data of Indian Tourism Board.

According to available data, approximately 2.12 million Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2023, representing the largest share of foreign tourist arrivals in India with a 22.3% share.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh topped the list of countries sending tourists to India in 2023, accounting for over 22% of total foreign tourist arrivals.

However, the tourism sector of both counties that suffered heavily during same period will get a boost, provided policy makers of two both counties ease and speed the visa process, sources in Dhaka, Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai   said.    

Sources in Bangladesh missions in Kolkata, New Delhi, Agartala, Chennai and Mumbai said the  number of Indian tourists also came down during the last six months. Though Bangladesh missions in India have not updated the number of Indian tourists in Bangladesh during the last six months or several years, the India government updated the data of international tourists on a regular basis, sources said.

Sources said the political tension between two countries will have a reciprocal impact on the issuing of visas on the citizens of both counties.

Sources in Bangladesh Tourism Board and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation said India’s tourists’ share in Bangladesh inbound tourism constitutes a major share—sometimes 60—75 per cent of total inbound tourism.

Members of Tours operators association of Bangladesh (TOAB) said that political tension and uncertainty certainty hit  their business last year and yet to get momentum.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s tourist arrivals in India nosedived during the month of November 2024 as India tightened visa process on security and strategic grounds, sources in Dhaka, New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Agartala and Chennai said.

According to the India Tourism Board, USA retained the top position in terms of tourist arrivals in India during the month of November 2024 with 20.44 per cent, followed by UK with 10.92 per cent, Bangladesh with 9.71 per cent, Australia with 6.41 per cent and Canada with 6.22 per cent, 2024.

However, Bangladesh still retained top position in terms of tourist arrivals in India during January-November period with 18.96 per cent, followed by USA with 17.39 per cent, UK with 10.14 per cent, Canada with 4.6 per cent and Australia with 4.59 per cent, according to the Monthly Tourism statics of Ministry of Tourism of India.

According to the data, a total of 1635913 Bangladeshis visited India during January—November period of 2024.

However, the during the month of November 2024, a total of 92,012 Bangladeshis visited India.

Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in November, 2024 were 9,47,610 as compared to 9,48,631 in November, 2023 and 10,92,440 in November, 2019 registering a growth of -0.1% and -13.3% with respect to 2023 and 2019 respectively.

FTAs during the period January-November, 2024 were 86,28,238 as compared to 84,19,014 in January-November 2023 and 97,03,957 in January-November, 2019 registering a growth of 2.5% and -11.1% with respect to 2023 and 2019 respectively.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain very recently expressed his hope over the normalisation of the visa issue with India but stressed that the decision to issue a visa is considered a "sovereign right" of a country.

“We did not create visa complications. India has stopped it for whatever reason. It is their sovereign right. ,” he said, adding that if a country does not issue a visa to anyone or to any group, no question can be raised about it as it is their decision.

Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hossain said they hope that India will announce their decision or step up their activities so that people who want to go to India can get visas.

The Foreign Adviser said what Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said is completely the position of Bangladesh.

“We have always said we want a good working relationship (with India) on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect,” he said, adding that is the reflection of their clear position.

Highlighting historical close ties, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus told BBC Bangla that there is no alternative to maintaining a good relationship between Bangladesh and India, as there had been some clouds in the relations that mainly came through propaganda.

The writer is a senior journalist