Bangladesh's narrow window to win Japan's appetite for new destinations

Dhaka: Bangladesh may have a timely opportunity to rebuild its Japanese tourism market as geopolitical disruptions limit travel options elsewhere in Asia and Japanese travelers look for new destinations, according to Md Masud Hossain, Managing Director of Bengal Tours Ltd. Hossain, whose company has specialized in the Japanese market for more than two decades, said while talking to The Bangladesh Monitor that Bangladesh already has many of the ingredients needed to attract Japanese visitors but needs a coordinated promotional campaign before competing destinations regain momentum. "I started working with the Japan market from 1990-91, and Bengal Tours started working from 1999. Japan has always been our main market," Hossain mentioned.Md Masud Hossain He claimed about 70-75 percent of Bengal Tours' inbound customers are currently Japanese. Yet the market remains far below its earlier potential. In 2025-26, the company handled around 700 Japanese travelers, compared with more than 7,000 a year around 2012-13. According to Hossain, political instability, the 2016 Holey Artisan attack, the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent political uncertainty repeatedly disrupted demand. Each time, however, Japanese interest showed signs of returning. Now, he believes the timing is different. Unrest in parts of the Middle East, continuing uncertainty in several traditional destinations and limited travel options in countries such as Pakistan, Iran and Iraq are prompting Japanese travelers to reconsider where they can go, Hossain expressed. His counterparts in Japan are already asking for new Bangladeshi tourism products, including destinations, cultural events and festivals that could be marketed to Japanese customers. "That is why I think this is the right time to promote Bangladesh among Japanese people," he expressed. "If we start promotion now, we will see the results after a year or two. So we should start now." A market Bangladesh already understands One of Bangladesh's biggest advantages is that Japan is not an entirely new market. Hossain said Japanese travelers have historically accounted for more than half of Bangladesh's leisure-tourism arrivals, making the country's tourism operators familiar with their preferences and spending patterns. The market is also relatively accessible geographically. Bangladesh is closer to Japan than destinations in Europe or North America, while direct air links can shorten travel time. The return of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' Japan service is therefore particularly important, Hossain further mentioned. He expects additional frequencies and new aircraft to improve connectivity. He argued that Biman should eventually operate at least two or three weekly flights to Japan, saying the route has previously demonstrated its ability to generate group traffic. "When Biman stopped Japan flights, I lost groups totaling 150 travelers," he added. "We had tourists on almost every flight, with 10 to 15 people in each group." Hossain also sees an opportunity to create stopover packages for Japanese passengers traveling through Dhaka to other destinations, including short two-night, three-day programs. Bangladesh already has products to sell Hossain also claimed Bangladesh does not need to invent an entirely new tourism proposition for Japan. Several established products are already suited to the market. The country's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Paharpur, the Sundarbans and the Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat - are particularly attractive. Bengal Tours already sells a roughly seven-day itinerary combining those destinations with Dhaka, and Hossain described it as one of the easiest Bangladesh products to market in Japan. Japanese visitors are also interested in Buddhist archaeology, rural life, village communities, wildlife, birdwatching and nature.Japanese holidaymakers enjoying Bangladesh’s greenery from a boat Sylhet could become another important product, he also mentioned, although better connectivity is needed. The Chittagong Hill Tracts also attract interest, but security and operational challenges currently limit their use as a mainstream tourism product. Festivals and cultural events could provide another avenue for growth. Hossain noted Japanese tour operators are increasingly asking about events around which they could build specialized tours. He believes Bangladesh should begin with established products before gradually expanding into river tourism and other experiences as infrastructure and safety arrangements improve. Price remains a major obstacle Despite the opportunity, Bangladesh has a significant disadvantage: cost. Hossain further expressed a weeklong Bangladesh tour can be more expensive than comparable trips to India, Nepal or Sri Lanka because both airfare and ground costs are relatively high. Air connectivity is particularly important. He mentioned China Southern offers convenient daily connectivity but at relatively high fares, while Cathay Pacific can offer competitive pricing but operates fewer weekly flights. Biman has the advantage of nonstop service but limited frequency. Thai Airways and Malaysia Airlines provide additional options, but longer transit times can make them less attractive to Japanese travelers. Hossain believes Biman and the tourism industry need to work together on group fares and packaged products. He also suggested promoting Bangladesh tour packages through Biman's inflight magazine and other passenger-facing channels. "Biman and us are both suffering because group prices are not being offered," he said. Promotion needs to move to Japan For Hossain, the biggest missing piece is not demand but marketing. He expressed Japanese tour operators frequently approach Bangladeshi companies when they need information, but Bangladesh has rarely taken the initiative to visit and cultivate those operators. He wants tourism authorities and private companies to jointly organize roadshows, business-to-business meetings and familiarization trips for Japanese operators that already sell neighboring destinations but do not yet sell Bangladesh. The strategy would need to recognize that Japan is not a single market. Some customers spend USD 1,200-USD 1,400 on a weeklong trip, while others look for packages costing around USD 400. "We need to prepare our products accordingly for all," Hossain also claimed. He also wants Bangladesh to increase its visibility in Japanese media through travel programs, broadcasters such as NHK and TBS, and influential travel bloggers. A window that may not remain open Several developments are now creating favorable conditions for Bangladesh. Hossain pointed to improving Bangladesh-Japan government relations, renewed activity by Japanese businesses and the return of JICA volunteers who had previously left after the Holey Artisan attack. A Japanese Globe-Trotter travel guidebook on Bangladesh is also being published again after roughly a decade, another development he believes could help revive awareness. For Hossain, these factors make the current period particularly important. He argues that Bangladesh has already identified its Japanese customers, understands their preferences and has tourism products that can be sold to them. What remains is a coordinated effort to put those products in front of the right people. "Japan has always been positive regarding us," he concluded. "So it is up to us how much we are willing to grab them."