Dhaka: Thirty-one organisations and individuals in 25 categories have been recognised and awarded for their excellence in Bangladesh travel, tourism and hospitality sectors through a gala ceremony held at an elite hotel in the capital on October 5.

The recognition programme dubbed Bangladesh Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Awards 2024—first of its kind in the country—was organised by the travel and tourism publication The Bangladesh Monitor.

Peter A Seamone, Chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) was present at the programme as the chief guest and handed over trophies to the winners.

Abu Taher Md Jaber, CEO of Bangladesh Tourism Board, Nazeem A Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director of Prime Bank PLC and Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir, Chairman of the jury board also spoke on the occasion.

Addressing the event, Peter A Seamone, Chairman, PATA, said, “With the right balance of economic, social and environmental factors, Bangladesh tourism will flourish, enriching communities across the country in positive ways. PATA is committed to joining Bangladesh in this journey.”

“However, Bangladesh has to ensure that it adopts sustainable practices to mitigate the threats of climate change and over-tourism,” he added.

Explaining the purpose of the first of its kind award programme, Kazi Wahidul Alam, Editor, The Bangladesh Monitor, said, "The initiative to establish the award programme is a testament to our commitment to fostering growth and excellence within the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors in the country.”

“By recognising the outstanding contributions of individuals, we aim to inspire a new generation of industry professionals, who will be able to elevate Bangladesh's standing as a premier travel destination," he further mentioned.

A competent jury board comprising representatives from diverse professions and social groups selected the winners out of 184 entries. The selection was made based on the quality of their presentation, online public voting, expert opinions and other considerations. A staggering one hundred and eight thousand online votes were cast in different categories, said a release.

The winners in different hospitality categories were The Westin Dhaka, The Peninsula Chittagong, HANSA Premium Residence, The Way Dhaka, Sea Pearl Beach Resort and Spa, InterContinental Dhaka, Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka, Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden, Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View, Sikder Resort and Villas, Hotel Grand Park Barishal, Momo Inn Park and Resort, The Palace Luxury Resort, Prego of The Westin Dhaka, Star Kebab, Hotel Kasturi, North End Coffee Roasters and The Garden Kitchen of Sheraton Dhaka.

In tourism categories, The Bengal Tours, Journey Plus, Discovery Tours and Logistics, National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, HB Aviation and Tourism Institute, ShareTrip and InnoGlobe Technologies were recognised as the winners.

Lastly, in individual categories, Md Shafiqul Islam, Head of Marketing and Sales, US-Bangla Airlines; Shakawath Hossain, CEO of Unique Hotel and Resorts; Ashwani Nayar, General Manager of InterContinental Dhaka; travel vlogger Salahuddin Sumon; and food vlogger Petuk Couple won awards.

The award ceremony was attended by representatives from corporate houses, travel tourism and hospitality sectors, business elites and media representatives, among others.

The programme was supported by Prime Bank PLC, while online travel agency BuyTickets, travel technology provider Sabre and tea brand Halda Valley were the partners.