This is the Map of Bangladesh-

Ruposhi Bangla Hotel
The renowned international five-star hotel in Bangladesh, Ruposhi Bangla Hotel (former Dhaka Sheraton Hotel) is in the most prestigious location of Dhaka city, capital of Bangladesh.

http://www.ruposhibanglahotel.com

Hotel Lake Castle
An Ocean of hospitality situated by the side of a lake with greeneries. Come and enjoy the comfort and hospitality from a group of highly experienced professionals. Hotel provides five star standard services at an affordable price.

http://www.hotellakecastle.com

Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka
Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka is a magnificent business-class hotel, ideally located in central Dhaka close to the Motijheel commercial area, Dhakas diplomatic area of Baridhara and Gulshan, Parliament House and the Prime Ministers Office.

http://www.panpacific.com/Dhaka

Hotel La Vinci
The best western La Vinci Hotel Is A Joint Venture With Bangladesh And Italy. The New Three-Star Property Is A Luxurious Business Class Hotel With Majestic Colorful Architecture Design.

http://www.hotellavinci.com

Westin Dhaka Hotel Bangladesh
Five Star hotel in Gulshan Dhaka Bangladesh. Nestled in the new business district, we are steps from renowned shopping malls, foreign missions, restaurant, art, private clubs, and multinationals. Near Airport International Airport.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1394

Eastern House
An exclusive Guest House for international guests. It is professionally operated in a modern building with an eye-catching architectural design.

http://www.eghousedhaka.com

Lake Shore
We are delighted that you have made a choice to stay at the Lakeshore Hotel and we extend a warm welcome to you.

http://www.lakeshorehotel.com.bd

Radisson Water Garden Hotel Dhaka
Sprawling over 7 acres of manicured grounds and gardens with water features, the Radisson Water Garden Hotel offers all the conveniences of a business hotel with an atmosphere and amenities of an exclusive resort.

http://www.radisson.com/dhakabn

Parjatan Hotels Bangladesh
Parjaton corporation is a government tourism organization and has nice affordable hotels all over the country. Bangladesh Parjatan corporation Hotels.

http://www.parjatan.gov.bd?Hotels

Dhaka Regency
The Dhaka Regency hotel is one of the most exquisite, exclusive and magnificent business-class five star hotel in Bangladesh.

http://www.dhakaregency.com

Grand Prince Hotel
Grand Prince Hotel is near the diplomatic zone and surrounded by a variety of authentic restaurants and shopping malls. It is situated in Mirpur-1, (beside of Grameen Bank) Dhaka, Bangladesh. 3 Star Rating.

http://www.grandprince-dhaka.com

Rosewood Residence
Located in Gulshan1, Dhaka. Consists of experience, comfort, multi cultural value and achievement since your step taken at our premises.

http://www.rosewoodresidence.com

Rigs Inn
Discover a new horizon of hospitality at rigs inn, an international standard residential hotel in the capital of Bangladesh.

http://www.rigsinn.com

Hotel Bon Vivant
Bon vivant Hotel is the newest and finest Business Hotel of world-class standard, equipped with all modern facilities to cater the Business traveler and visitors.

http://www.hotelbonvivant.com

Hotel Pacific
Hotel Pacific is located in the heart of the commercial center of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is facilitated as 3 star hotel.

http://www.hotelpacificdhaka.net

Civic Inn an impressive hotel in Dhaka
Civic Inn an impressive hotel with the experience of more than a decade of its professional management which provides every modern amenities & comfort. Offers good facilities for the business executives, international consultants as well as a host of loc

http://www.civicinn.com

Hotel Kollol Coxs Bazar Bangladesh
Hotel Kollol is almost on the Bay at Coxs Bazar. From the balcony of this hotel, the beautiful view and roar of sea waves may be experienced. In Bangla the word Kollol means wave. Coxsbazaar Hotels Bangladesh.

http://www.hotelkollol.com

Sarina Hotel
Dhakas first Business Boutique Hotel, situated in the commercial hub of the city, situated near the diplomatic zone, very close to the Airport & business areas.

http://www.sarinahotel.com

Seagull Hotel coxsbazar
Coxs Bazar, overlooking the Bay of Bengal (only 25 yards from the Bay water) and sitting in the laps of hills, Seagull Hotel offers deluxe accommodation in 182 well-appointed guest rooms and suites.

http://www.seagullhotelbd.com

National Security Minister, Wayne Perinchief, has announced policy changes intended to assist the hospitality industry.

Visitors will be allowed to stay here for up to 90 days, extended from 21 days, with effect from May 1.

And visitors from the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) with visas for the US, UK or Canada, will not be required to have an entry visa to come to Bermuda.

The changes were warmly received by the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce.

“I am delighted that this policy has been changed to permit visitors and even family of Bermudians who are not Bermudian to extend their stay in Bermuda without the inconvenience of applying for extensions,” said Chamber president Buddy Rego.

“This is good for restaurants, shops, taxis, hotels and guest houses and the entire Bermuda business and community family that can now say ‘welcome!’”

Minister Perinchief, whose portfolio includes responsibility for the Department of Immigration, announced the changes in a Ministerial statement yesterday.

“This provision for initial longer stays will compliment efforts to promote Bermuda to European guests who traditionally spend more time in their destinations of choice,” he told his House colleagues.

“Additionally, this extended stay will support the fractional housing product and efforts by hospitality providers to promote Bermuda as a genuine second-home to those who can afford to make it such.”

As with the current policy, visitors will have to apply to Immigration for longer stays.

“We have already provided the 90 day stay to visiting yachtsmen and their crews and this extension to land-based visitors is a logical one,” the Minister continued.

The visa waiver programme for the BRIC countries also becomes effective May 1 this year.

“Visitors from the BRIC countries will more readily consider Bermuda as a travel destination and a business-friendly jurisdiction,” explained Mr Perinchief.

“The elimination of the process requiring a Bermuda Entry Visa from the British Embassy in the visitor’s home country will make Bermuda more attractive and sets us apart from competitors who may still require such an entry visa prior to arrival.”

Ayo Johnson

Hard Cash

Cash might be the easiest option for many travellers who don’t want their credit and debit cards in the wrong hands. Spreading bundles of money in various corners of your luggage could be useful in case you lose only your wallet, but you’ll be left in a fix if your suitcases go missing. Also since you can only carry a certain amount of cash while you travel, this medium of currency is a little disabling.

Credit Cards

Credit cards by internationally recognised banks can be a traveller’s best companion when it comes to booking flights, hotel rooms, activities and even paying for meals at restaurants. Exchange rates for credit card purchases are some of the best available. Remember to check international charges for use, according to the country you are travelling to. Most credit card issuers charge 1 per cent from Visa or MasterCard along with 1-2 per cent for themselves.

Debit And ATM Cards

If you don’t like the percentages doled on credit then debit cards are the next plastic pal. However, they still come with some fees of their own. ATM cards reduce the amount of hard cash in your wallet, making it financially safer while travelling. Check on the availability of ATM machines in the place of travel to prevent getting strapped for cash.

Traveller’s Cheques And Cards

Traveller’s cheques are a safer option to cash as they can be replaced within 24 hours of being lost or stolen. A new set of prepaid travel cards by Visa work the same way as the cheques but charge fees similar to credit cards.

The U.S. is competing on a global scale for business. And it’s losing.

While worldwide long-haul international travel grew by 40 percent between 2000 and 2010, the United States market share dropped from 17 percent to 12 percent.

“We know we are losing business to other countries,” said U.S. Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev.

Heck climbed aboard the U.S. Travel Association’s 2012 Vote Travel campaign tour bus in Henderson on Wednesday to talk about how he thinks the $1.9 trillion travel and tourism industry can again become a player.

“This is a part of a $4 million to $5 million campaign to promote the travel and tourism industry in the United States,” said Robert Bobo, spokesman for the U.S. Travel Association, a national nonprofit organization that promotes the industry.

In September, Heck introduced the Welcoming Business Travelers and Tourists to America Act to Congress, which was assigned to a congressional committee in September. The bill has 39 co-sponsors, including Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., and Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev.

The bill aims to increase the number of international visitors from countries such as China or Brazil, whose citizens are required to have a nonimmigrant visa before entering. By setting a standard wait time of 12 days for visa application interviews and implementing teleconferencing for the initial visa interview, Heck said long wait times, which sometimes can be up to 90 days, should be eliminated.

“We’ve heard we were losing convention business here because folks from those countries wanted to plan for a business trip but they couldn’t get their visa in time to get here,” Heck said. “I think 12 days is critically important.”

In 2011, 62.3 million international travelers visited the U.S., according to data from the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. International travel to the United States generates more than $134 billion annually in exports and supports 1.8 million United States jobs.

“We know that for every 35 international travelers that are in the United States, that creates one U.S. job. It’s a significant boost to the economy,” Bobo said.

So it stands to reason that drawing more international travelers to the U.S. isn’t just on Heck’s mind.

On Monday, President Barack Obama and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff met and committed to work together so that Brazil can join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also announced the State Department would open new consulates in Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre, Brazil, which should help reduce wait times.

“The State Department has done a very good job of getting wait times down in both Brazil and in China. We’ve been very encouraged to see those wait times decline,” Bobo said.

In China, wait times have dropped from 90 days to less than a week as consular staff has been added and business hours expanded. More customer service windows are also being added in consulates in Brazil.

Heck acknowledged the reduction in wait times, but said more needs to be done.

“Part of it isn’t just the delay in getting to the interview, it’s the distance. In some countries like China, somebody might have to travel two days to a consulate to do their interview,” Heck said.

Thus, the teleconferencing aspect of his legislation. Heck’s bill also directs the Secretary of State to use non-immigrant visa fees to hire more consular officers and build additional infrastructure in China, Brazil and India.

But, the bottom line for Heck and for the U.S. Travel Association is attracting more international travelers.

“If it’s easier for a business traveler to go to a trade show that’s in Europe, and he can get a visa there in 72 hours, he’s going to say, ‘I should just go there. Why should I wait six months to go to Las Vegas?’” Heck explained.

Laura Carroll

“Travel and tourism to the US is an important way for us to expand our commercial ties and ensure balanced trade growth between our countries. Total spending by Indians traveling to the US was $4.6 billion last year, up 15 per cent from the year before. With the help of Visit USA, we expect this trend to continue,” said Bryson. He said around 660,000 Indians visited the country last year.

Indians are number twelve in tourist arrivals into the US and the Vusacom hopes to bring it in single digits.

According to Ashwini Kakkar, managing director of Mercury Travels, outbound leisure tours to US make a small portion of Indian travel companies business. US is a long haul destination nd it is short haul holiday destinations such as Bangkok, Sinagpore or Dubai which are the favourites, he said.

An executive of another tour company puts the share of US business around 15 per cent which is much less compared to Europe and South East Asia. Also, a large percentage of Indians travelling to the US fall under the visiting friends and relatives category who do not take a package tour.

Kakkar, president of Vusacom, said the companies are seeking easier visa procedures which will encourage MICE tourism. According to him several foreign governments accept a guarantee from corporates organising the tours when issuing the visas. “However US visas are issued on a case to case basis and there is a fear of rejection. We are discussing these issues with the Consulate,” he said.

“US tour market has not grown. Cost is also an factor with dollar appreciating tour costs to US have increased,” observed Madhav Pai, chief operating officer (leisure travel) at Thomas Cook.

An another aspect, travel industry sources, say is that US itself has not been involved in large scale marketing to attract tourism. However, things seem to be changing now. The state of California and city of San Francisco are marketing the destinations, Sheema Vohra of Visit California said.

Recently, tour operators from US state of Georgia too did a campaign in Mumbai.

Bryson said the Commerce Department is working closely with America’s travel and tourism industry to encourage more travel from countries such as India to the US.

This is part of a larger plan called our National Travel and Tourism Strategy which will be delivered to President Barack Obama in coming weeks, he said.

Last week the US Department of State announced a new pilot programme that will allow certain applicants to apply for visas without being interviewed in person by a US consular officer.

Aneesh Phadnis

Following Parliamentary approval, all payments made from 00:01 (UK time) on Friday 6 April, should be paid according to the new fees.

According to Mr. Damian Green, the increases to UK visa application fees were fair for both those who use and benefit from the UK immigration system. Applications will not be accepted where an incorrect fee is paid.

The new method of setting fees will help protect some routes from significant increases, and will contribute to the additional revenue needed to fund enforcement and other improvements to the immigration system. In the majority of cases, the fees increased by only 2 percent.

Assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Janice L Jacobs leaves on Wednesday for the dialogue, said a state department statement. “The discussions will cover a wide range of consular issues, from the protection of citizens abroad to the facilitation of travel between the United States and India,” the statement said.

“Agenda items include aligning US and Indian visa policies and children’s issues.”

It could not immediately be ascertained if they will discuss the issue of increasing rejection — or delay — of visas for professionals, specially L1.

The two countries will also discuss the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which the US is encouraging India to sign. The 1980 convention, signed by 80 countries, prevents children from being taken away from their country of residence by one of their parents in the event of marital discord or breakdown.

India is a signatory of the UN convention on the rights of the child and feels it doesn’t need to sign another convention. But many in India feel their government should sign up.

SUMMIT COUNTY — The Colorado high country could benefit — at least indirectly — from a sweeping effort to boost international visitation to the U.S. under a national travel and tourism strategy being developed by the Obama administration.

The U.S. State Department has already added 100 workers and expanded hours to process tourist visa applications in China and Brazil, both seen as key markets for the U.S. tourism market. A new consular facility in Beijing should increase visa interview capacity by 50 percent, and consular officers in Brazil can now waive interviews for applicants younger than 15 and older than 66.

TheU.S. Travel Association believes even more can be done to spur travel, which could potentially add thousands of new jobs and result in millions of dollars in revenue for American businesses.

“The travel industry appreciates the President’s willingness to work together in developing a national strategy for travel and tourism,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “The economic benefits will be significant. By embracing policies to better promote travel to and within our country, we can attract a greater share of the business and leisure travel market, which will mean billions of dollars more for our economy and hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs.”

In submitting comments on the national tourism and travel strategy, the USTA declared an overall goal of recapturing a 17 percent share of the global long-haul international travel market.

With global long-haul travel expected to grow by 40 percent over the coming decade, reaching that goal by 2015 and sustaining that level for five years would result in 98 million additional visitors to the U.S. That, in turn, would generate $390 million in direct travel experts and 1.3 million jobs, according to figures from the USTA.

The industry also wants the state department to make online consular service more user-friendly, with visa applications translated into native languages, and wants to see more customer service training for consular officers. A long-term strategic plan for opening new visa offices in high-growth markets is also important to sustain gains in tourism growth, the organization said.

Other recommendations include cutting application for travelers willing to apply during off-peak times, and, conversely, to offer expedited visas at a premium cost, as well as allowing existing visa-holders to renew their documents in the U.S.

Perhaps the biggest single step the government could take is expanding the visa waiver program, which enables foreigners to visit the U.S. without a formal visa.

About 17 million travelers from countries without visa requirements visit the U.S. annually — 65 percent of all visitors in 2010, spending more than $61 billion, supporting 433,000 jobs and generating $9 billion in government tax revenues.

The USTA wants the state department to begin formal bilateral visa waiver negotiations countries including Brazil, Poland, Chile, Argentina and Croatia.

Bipartisan legislation pending in the House and Senate could make it easier for the state department to do just that, while still maintaining security at the border.

Besides easing legal requirements, the U.S. could be more welcoming to travelers by increasing staffing and cutting wait times for entry at airports. The USTA also wants more transparency, with mandated reporting to Congress in airport wait times.

Bob Berwyn

A subsequent notification from Opodo says that when I later proceeded to the final confirmation screen I accepted the new dates shown and therefore the reservation must stand. If I want to change the return date I will have to pay another £200. Surely I should not be responsible for a change that was not of my making?

Gill Charlton replies

Opodo has admitted that “for some reason” the flight dates changed when you corrected the number of passengers. It has now agreed that it was reasonable of you to assume that the dates you originally input would have been preserved.

A senior manager has now amended your dates – though as one of the flights was no longer available in the fare category you booked Opodo is paying £170 for an extra night in your New York hotel.

Opodo apologises for the “genuine miscommunication” on the part of its post-sales team and would like to apologise for letting you and your father down. An error like this communicated immediately to a flight booking agent’s call centre should not attract an amendment charge.

That said, your experience shows how essential it is to check all the details before proceeding to confirm and pay for flights. I think it’s better to start the booking process again if you get a timeout warning as it can lead to glitches.

Driving a hire car through France and Spain

Sue Bright, Warwick, writes
We would like to take the ferry to Calais, hire a car and drive down through France and Spain. Do any companies allow you to take cars from one country to another? The car would be returned to the pick-up point.

Gill Charlton replies
Most international car rental companies allow customers to take cars into any country in western Europe. These include Hertz (08708 448844;hertz.co.uk) and Avis (08445 818181; avis.co.uk). This information is not easy to find on rental websites. I could find it nowhere on the Avis site. Fortunately the site has a live-chat function; Roger answered my question in 10 seconds.

Note that DFDS Seaways (0871 574 7235; dfdsseaways.co.uk) has started a new service on the Dover-Calais route and is offering good deals.

Taking duty-free goods through the US

B Neech, Northampton, writes

We are travelling to San Diego via San Francisco using a combination of Virgin Atlantic and United Airlines. If we buy duty-free alcohol at Heathrow will we be allowed to take it on board the connecting flight to San Diego?

Gill Charlton replies

When going through security at American airports you cannot carry any containers of liquid of more than 100ml in your hand baggage, even if you are in transit.

However, passengers always have to clear immigration at their point of entry in the US. You will also have to pick up your hold luggage and clear customs at San Francisco airport. This will give you the opportunity to stash your duty-free purchases in your suitcases before checking them back into the hold at the United Airlines transfer desk.

Do I need a visa?

Graham Jones, Carmarthen, writes

Where can I find up-to-date information on passport validity and visa requirements for a forthcoming trip to south-east Asia?

Gill Charlton replies

The public website of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – iatatravelcentre.com – is a good start. This gives travellers similar information to that used by member airlines to determine whether people can travel. As well as advice on passport, visa and health regulations it provides information on currency restrictions and departure taxes. Cross-check with the Foreign Office’s country travel advice site: fco.gov.uk.

Vancouver Island by camper van

John Grayling, Edinburgh, writes

We would like to tour Vancouver Island for two weeks in a camper van. We don’t want one of those huge motorhomes, just one the size of a transit van. Who could organise such a tour for us?

Gill Charlton replies

Frontier Canada (020 8776 8709; frontier-canada.co.uk) has a good choice of motorhomes and camper vans in its fleet. It recommends the RS 22 Sprinter, which looks like a converted transit van, is only 19ft long, and still packs in a kitchenette, shower and loo and twin beds. Two weeks’ rental costs from £992. There is an insurance excess. Fuel consumption is around 20 litres per 100km.

Vancouver Island has some spectacular wilderness areas. Sightings of bears, eagles and whales are common. The car ferry from Vancouver to Victoria costs around £50 each way for a camper van.

There is a good choice of campsites, which Frontier Canada can advise on. Most do not need to be booked, though if you are travelling over busy holiday periods you can pay in advance for stays of two nights or more. Bella Pacifica in Tofino (bellapacifica.com) has a beautiful ocean-front location and is a good jumping-off point if you intend to explore the Pacific Rim National Park. Summer rates are around £25 a night.

Gill Charlton