Market Size for Tour and Travel Agencies in Bangladesh: Trends and Insights

Bangladesh’s travel world is growing. It is becoming a key part of the country’s money picture. Travel companies are important. They help people find places to visit and things to do. Knowing how big the market is for these companies is key. Learning about new trends, what helps it grow, and the hard parts is also important. This article looks at this market now and how it might look later, in late 2024 and 2025.

Travel around the world is a big business. It helps countries make money and gives people jobs. Bangladesh’s travel business is getting bigger. It helps the country’s money and creates jobs. This includes work in hotels, transport, and other related jobs. Travel companies are a vital part of this. They help people travel inside and outside Bangladesh.

The government in Bangladesh sees how important travel is. It has plans, like the Tourism Master Plan. These plans want to make travel places better. They want to show Bangladesh to more people. They also want to make travel easier for visitors. These steps help travel companies. But the market for travel companies in Bangladesh faces many things. These things change how big the market is and how well it does.

How Can We Figure Out the Size of the Travel Agency Market in Bangladesh?

Finding one exact number for the market size for tour and travel agencies in Bangladesh is not easy. Market size can mean different things. It can mean the money companies make. It can mean how many sales they have. Or it can mean how many travelers they help. It is hard to find full details for all types of travel companies publicly. But we can learn a lot by looking at the whole travel market and how companies work in it.

The total market for Travel & Tourism in Bangladesh looks strong. Money coming in is set to be about US$2.184 billion in 2024. Experts see the market growing by 4.80% each year from 2024 to 2028. This could make it worth US$2.634 billion by 2028. This big market size is the area where travel companies work.

Travel companies get a big part of this money. They sell plane tickets, trips, help with visas, and book places to stay. It’s hard to know the exact share of old-style shops versus online helpers right now from public numbers. But Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) are growing fast. They are a key part of the market for travel companies now. Some reports say OTAs have about 4-6% of the total travel market in Bangladesh today. In online bookings, they are even bigger. Some older guesses from experts in 2021 thought OTAs could reach 45-60% by 2025. How fast this happens depends on many things. But more and more people are booking travel online.

Another way to see the market size is the number of companies. In August 2023, over 5,200 active travel companies were listed by the government. The group for travel companies, ATAB, says they have around 4713 members. This high number shows many businesses are helping people travel. They all add to the total market size for tour and travel agencies in Bangladesh.

Money for the market comes from many places. This includes money from airlines and hotels, extra money on trips, and fees for visa help. The total money from these services shows the market size.

Simply put, the market for travel companies in Bangladesh is big and getting bigger. This is because more people are traveling, online helpers are growing, and many companies are in the market.

What New Things are Changing the Travel Agency Market?

Some big things are making the travel agency market in Bangladesh change right now:

More Digital Ways and the Rise of Online Helpers: This is a very big change. More people have internet and smartphones. People are using them more for finding and booking travel. OTAs make this easy. They let you compare prices and book from anywhere. This pushes older companies to use more digital tools. Plans after the world health issue (COVID-19) focus on online booking and easy changes to plans.
Travel Inside the Country is Growing: More money in the country and more people joining the middle class mean more Bangladeshis are traveling inside Bangladesh. Travel places are getting better. People know more about them. This helps travel companies that sell trips inside the country.
How People Travel is Changing: People know more now. They want special trips. They want fair prices and easy booking. What people see on social media makes them want to travel. They read what others say online. Travel companies must change how they sell trips and what they offer. People want trips that are not just the usual sights.
More Focus on Special Kinds of Travel: People are getting more interested in trips that help nature (eco-tourism), trips with local people, fun adventure trips, and trips for health needs. Companies that know about these special trips can find new customers.

What Helps the Travel Agency Market Grow?

Some main things are making the travel agency market in Bangladesh get bigger:

More Money in the Country: As the country makes more money, more people have extra money to spend. They use this money for fun things like travel. This directly helps travel companies.
More Cities and a Bigger Middle Class: More people living in cities and more people with good jobs mean more people who can travel inside and outside the country.
Help from the Government: The government wants to make the travel business bigger. They have plans, build better travel places, and tell people about Bangladesh. These steps help travel companies.
Better Ways to Travel and Connect: Roads, airports, and transport are getting better. This makes it easier to travel inside and to Bangladesh. This brings more people who need travel companies.
People Know More and See More of the World: People see travel on TV and the internet. They learn about places in Bangladesh and far away. This makes them want to travel.

What Hard Parts Do Travel Agencies Face Now?

Travel agencies in Bangladesh face some important problems right now:

Many Other Companies Trying to Get Customers: Many companies are selling travel. Online helpers (OTAs) and airlines selling tickets direct make it very hard. Older companies have to work hard to keep their customers.
Not Enough Trained Workers: It’s hard to find workers who are good at helping customers, know a lot about places, and know how to use digital tools. This can make it hard to give great service.
Travel Places Are Not Always Ready: Some places people want to visit in Bangladesh do not have good enough roads or hotels. This makes it hard for companies to run trips there.
Worries About Safety: Some people worry about being safe when they travel in Bangladesh. This can stop visitors from coming. Companies have to work extra hard to make people feel safe.
Things Outside the Market Can Hurt It: Problems in the country, like political issues (like in 2024), big floods, or health problems around the world, can stop people from traveling suddenly. This hurts companies.
Keeping Up with New Technology: Using new digital tools costs money and needs special skills. This is hard for small companies.
Rules and Running the Business: Groups like ATAB have talked about problems like companies buying too many tickets at once. They also want clearer rules for online helpers (OTAs). A new rule from the government in May 2025 says companies must be listed and keep their papers current, or they could face action.

What Kinds of Travel Agencies Are There and How Do They Work Together?

The market for travel companies in Bangladesh has different types:

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs): These companies mostly work on the internet. They have websites and apps. They are liked because they are easy to use, have good prices, and let you compare many choices. More young people are using them.
Traditional Travel Agencies: These companies have physical offices you can visit. They give help face-to-face. They know the local area well and have worked with airlines and hotels for a long time. Even with online growth, many people still like their personal help, especially for trips that are not simple.
Mixed Companies: Many older companies are now using both offices and online tools. They mix personal help with online booking to reach more people.
Companies for Special Trips: These companies focus on just one type of travel. Examples are trips for work, religious trips, fun nature trips, or school trips. They know a lot about their special area.

These different companies are competing more now. This makes them all try to be better and offer more. Older companies use their strength in personal help. Online companies use low prices and easy online tools.

Who Are the Main Customers for Travel Agencies?

Travel agencies in Bangladesh help many kinds of people who travel:

People Traveling Inside Bangladesh: This is a big and growing group. More people have money to travel in their own country. Companies sell trips to places like beaches, tea gardens, and old sites.
People Traveling Outside Bangladesh: Many Bangladeshis travel to other countries for fun, work, health, or school. Companies help them with papers, tickets, and trips abroad.
Visitors Coming to Bangladesh: Though fewer than people traveling inside or outside, there is a chance to get more visitors from other countries. Companies working in this area show them the culture, nature, and special things about Bangladesh.
People Traveling for Work: Companies help businesses with trips for their workers, including flights and hotels.
People Traveling for Fun: People and families going on holiday is a major customer group for companies selling different kinds of trips.

How Does Technology Change Travel Agencies?

Technology is having a big effect on travel agencies in Bangladesh. Using digital tools is now key for companies to do well:

Better Websites and Booking Tools: Companies are making better websites and apps. People can look for places, check prices, and book trips online. This makes it easy for customers and helps companies reach more people.
Using Social Media and Online Selling: Social media is a strong tool. Companies use it to show trips, talk to people, and build their name. Selling online is a must to find customers on the internet.
Using Data to Help Customers Better: Technology helps companies collect and look at what customers do. This helps them understand what people like. They can then suggest trips just for them.
Hard Parts and Chances: Technology offers many good things, but it costs money. It needs people who know how to use it. Keeping customer information safe is also key. But companies that use technology well can grow a lot.

What Does the Future Look Like? What Can Companies Do?

The future for travel agencies in Bangladesh looks good. This is because the whole travel business is set to grow. The government’s travel plan wants to bring many more visitors. This will be good for travel companies.

Key chances for growth in the future are:

More Travel Inside and Outside the Country: These parts of the market are set to keep growing strong.
Big Chance for Visitors Coming to Bangladesh: By making travel places better, making sure people are safe, and telling the world about Bangladesh, the country can get many more visitors from other countries. Companies that work with visitors coming in have a big chance here.
Growing Special Kinds of Travel: More people around the world want trips that are good for nature and feel real, like seeing how local people live or having fun adventures. Companies can make and sell these kinds of trips.
Using New Technology Well: Companies that use technology well, go digital, and make online and office services work together will do well in the future.
Working Together More: Companies working with hotels, airlines, and others can create better trips that more people will buy.

To use these chances, travel companies need to put money into technology. They need to train their workers well. They must give high-quality and special help to customers. They also need to be ready for how travelers’ wants change. Working together and asking the government for helpful rules will also be key for growth.

What Can We Say About the Market Size and What’s Next?

The market size for tour and travel agencies in Bangladesh is tied to how much the country’s travel business grows. It is a big market and getting bigger. More money for people, more people in cities, and help from the government are making it grow. New technology and online helpers are also changing how the market works.

Even with hard parts like many other companies, not enough trained workers, and things outside the market that can hurt it, the future looks like it has many chances. By using digital tools, finding special trips, giving great service, and being ready for changes, companies can do well. They can help the travel business in Bangladesh grow stronger. Learning about this market is about seeing both the good parts and the hard parts. These things will shape the future for travel agencies in Bangladesh.