There are huge opportunities for the development of tourism industry in Bangladesh
In the previous year, Bangladesh made great strides in the tourism potential index. In 2016, Bangladesh was ranked 125th out of 140 countries in the world in this index. It is 120 in 2019. The top ten included Spain, France, Germany, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Canada and Switzerland. The report is titled ‘World Economic Forum (WEF) Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index’ (TTCI). The list focuses on 14 issues including business environment, security, healthcare, price competitiveness in the tourism sector. In 2019, Bangladesh made significant progress in the security arrangements for tourists in Asia and the Pacific.
However, considering the overall 10 years, it can be said that Bangladesh has not made progress. Because, in 2012, Bangladesh was ranked 116th out of 144 countries in the tourism potential index. Despite the potential, Bangladesh is not able to utilize the tourism sector. Among them, the tourism industry has been hit hard by the Kareena epidemic. There is no plan in the public-private sector to turn around from there. However, inland tourist destinations have been opened to reduce the spread of the epidemic. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the contribution of the tourism sector to global GDP in 2019 was 10.4 percent or 9.17 trillion.
With the rapid development of the tourism industry, the country and abroad will be more attracted
The following year, it dropped to 5 and a half percent or 4 lakh 8 thousand crore dollars. In 2019, the global tourism sector employed 330 million people, but last year it fell to 260 million. This means that 6 crore 17 people have lost their jobs in the global tourism sector. Even then, 1 out of every 11 people is employed in the tourism industry. According to the WTTC, in 2019, there were 16 lakh 59 thousand people employed in the tourism sector in Bangladesh. Not done last year. It has come down to 14.5 lakh, which is the highest in the country. 2.3 percent of employment. Indigenous people contribute more to the tourism sector of Bangladesh than foreigners. In 2019, foreign tourists spent three thousand crore rupees in this country.
On the other hand, domestic tourists spend Rs 6,600 crore. Last year, foreign spending fell by 59 per cent and domestic tourists by 34 per cent. If you want to know the President of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB). Rafeuzzaman told Prothom Ala that the foreign ministry would have to take steps to lift travel bans in order to boost the tourism sector. Because, under the circumstances, many countries have imposed travel bans on Bangladesh. He added that only tourists visit Cox’s Bazar, Kuakata, Sundarbans and a few other places in the country. However, there are 1,008 destinations for tourists in our country. In those places, besides development in travel and infrastructure, branding should also be done. The point is to decentralize tourism.
To keep all the facilities of modern recreation for foreign tourists
The first national tourism policy was formulated in 1992 to promote tourism. It was said that all modern and recreational opportunities would be created for foreign tourists. Cox’s Bazar and Sundarbans will be taken as the center. Master plan. Special importance will be given in the annual and five-year plans for the development of the tourism sector. But in reality none of this happened. It was updated in 2010, 18 years after the first national tourism policy was formulated. Everything that was in the previous policy has remained in the new policy. It talks about Cox’s Bazar, Teknaf, Senadia, St. Martin’s and Kuakata. Jaflong in Sylhet, Madhabkund, Srimangal, Lauyachhara, Sunamganj and Haor in Sylhet, Birishiri in Netrokona, Padma Meghna – interesting spots on the banks of the river Jamuna and other environments including the Chittagong Hill Tracts are in crisis. Necessary initiatives will be taken to develop eco-tourism in the region.
Eco-lodge, watch tower, rapway, walkway, night-hiking and other facilities will be created around the Sundarbans. But according to the policy, only Cox’s Bazar has done some work. There is a marine drive road from Kalatali in Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf. Work is underway on the train line from Dohazari in Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar. Expansion of Cox’s Bazar Airport has recently started. However, the planned work around other tourist destinations is not very noticeable. A decade ago, the tourism corporation was tasked with setting up a special tourist zone at Sarang in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar. But they are working slowly. Couldn’t create master plan now. Only five years have elapsed to determine the type or nature of the land, to assess and map the environmental impact.
