Tourism can become Bangladesh’s growth engine: Experts

Bangladesh’s tourism sector has the potential to emerge as a major growth engine for the economy by generating foreign currency earnings, creating jobs for young people and attracting investment, speakers said at a roundtable discussion held in Dhaka on Thursday.

The discussion, titled “Expectations from the New Government for the Tourism Sector,” brought together tourism entrepreneurs, academics, industry experts and media representatives, who called for stronger collaboration between the government and private sector to unlock the country’s tourism potential.

The event was organised by United Tourism Stakeholder Society of Bangladesh (UTSSOB), a newly formed tourism think tank.

Speakers said Bangladesh has failed to develop internationally recognised tourism products and destination branding due to a lack of research, reliable statistics and long-term policy planning.

However, they noted that the country possesses significant untapped potential, including natural beauty, cultural heritage and diverse tourism attractions capable of drawing foreign visitors.

They also said around four million people are currently directly and indirectly employed in the tourism sector, highlighting its growing importance to the national economy.

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Dr M Badruzzaman Bhuiyan, professor at Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of Dhaka University, said tourism is the main economic driver in 51 countries around the world and stressed the need to utilise tourism graduates from universities more effectively.

Mofizur Rahman, managing director of Novoair, said all stakeholders in the tourism industry must work together in a coordinated manner to ensure sustainable sectoral growth.

Adviser to Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), Syed Habib Ali, said meaningful progress in tourism would not be possible unless the country’s top political leadership gives direct attention to the sector.

Former chief executive officer of the Bangladesh Tourism Board, Javed Ahmed, said the government must recognise tourism as a powerful economic growth engine capable of diversifying the economy and increasing foreign exchange earnings.

The speakers also emphasised the importance of policy support, infrastructure development, research-based planning and international marketing to attract more foreign tourists.

The roundtable was chaired by UTSSOB President HM Hakim Ali. Opening remarks were delivered by the organisation’s General Secretary Rezaul Ekram, while Vice-President Toufiq Rahman moderated the discussion.

Other participants included tourism entrepreneurs, aviation professionals, academics and industry representatives who urged the new government to formulate a long-term tourism development strategy to transform the sector into a major pillar of Bangladesh’s economy.