[🇧🇩] Bangladesh Tourism

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Government plans to establish Tourism University: Frauk Khan

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Faruk Khan on Sunday said the government plans to establish a dedicated tourism university to create expert manpower for the country's tourism industry. He hoped that all stakeholders of the tourism sector would come forward sincerely for the successful implem

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Government plans to establish Tourism University: Frauk Khan
Published :
Jul 14, 2024 22:34
Updated :
Jul 14, 2024 22:34

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Faruk Khan on Sunday said the government plans to establish a dedicated tourism university to create expert manpower for the country's tourism industry.
He hoped that all stakeholders of the tourism sector would come forward sincerely for the successful implementation of the initiative to establish a tourism university.

The minister was speaking as the chief guest of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB)-Tourism Training Institute's certificate awarding ceremony among the trainees in the capital, BSS reported citing a press release.

In his speech, Khan also put emphasis on the language expertise of the trainees and said the tourism sector's apprentices have to develop in such a way that they become fit to work anywhere in the world.

Pointing out that the travel agents are playing an vital role in world connectivity, the minister said travel agents have to deliver services with integrity.

The agents also need to be aware to check any cheating attempt on tourists as well as travellers must not face any trouble in taking a trip abroad, he added.

He said the government will provide full policy support towards the country's tourism sector and hope that travel agents will perform their duties properly.

Noting that online travel agencies are often charged for various irregularities and complaints, the minister said everyone must follow the rules, otherwise legal action will be taken.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC)Chairman AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik and ATAB President Abdus Salam Aref spoke, among others, in the function while ATAB Secretary General Asfia Jannat Saleh moderated it.​

 

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Thailand to help Bangladesh develop tourism sector: Thai PM’s adviser

Nalinee Taveesin, adviser to Thai prime minister and Thailand trade representative, on Tuesday said that her country would provide necessary support to Bangladesh for the development of tourism sector...

www.newagebd.net

Thailand to help Bangladesh develop tourism sector: Thai PM's adviser
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka 16 July, 2024, 22:44

Nalinee Taveesin, adviser to Thai prime minister and Thailand trade representative, on Tuesday said that her country would provide necessary support to Bangladesh for the development of tourism sector.

'As a result of BEZA's initiative, the tourism sector in Bangladesh will develop significantly in the future, and Thailand is ready to provide necessary support to Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) for the success of this park by using the previous experience of Thailand's tourism sector,' she said.

Nalinee Taveesin said this while visiting the Sabrang Tourism Park, being established at Neknaf Upazila under Cox's Bazar district, said a press release.

A high-level Thai delegation today visited Sabrang Tourism Park, deemed as the country's first exclusive tourism park, in Cox's Bazar to explore investment potential in the country's tourism sector.

Nalinee Taveesin is leading the delegation, which includes the chairmen and chief executive officers of a dozen Thai companies.

In her speech, Nalinee Taveesin said that the location of Sabrang Tourism Park was very beautiful with the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal on one side and the hills surrounded by greenery on the other side, so this tourism park would be one of the main attractions of tourists from all over the world in the future.

She urged Thai investors to invest in Sabrang Tourism Park.

Among others, Md Sarwar Bari, executive chairman of the BEZA, and Makawadee Sumitmor, ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Bangladesh, were present on the occasion.​

 

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Tourism jolted by curfew

Zahra Mayeesha, a 26-year-old private job holder, was preparing to return to Dhaka from a two-day vacation to Sreemangal with her husband on July 16.

www.thedailystar.net

Tourism jolted by curfew

There was a thin presence of visitors around the sea beach of Cox's Bazar yesterday as most tourists cancelled their bookings amidst the ongoing curfew. The situation is no different in other popular tourist spots like Tanguar Haor, Kuakata and Jaflong, with service providers and operators incurring huge losses. Photo: Mokammel Shuvo

Zahra Mayeesha, a 26-year-old private job holder, was preparing to return to Dhaka from a two-day vacation to Sreemangal with her husband on July 16.

However, due to the violence stemming from the quota reform protests, the couple decided to delay their journey back to Dhaka, hoping to leave after another day or two.

Those plans also fell through after the government imposed a nationwide curfew on July 20.

They had budgeted around Tk 18,000 for the two-day stay. As they were unable to return, their costs for hotel fare and food skyrocketed.

Further adding to their woes was the internet blackout starting on July 18, which forced the couple to go all over town hunting down an ATM that would dispense cash.

In the end, Zahra and her husband managed to book a flight to Dhaka on July 24.

The trip cost them around four times what they had estimated, with total expenses ultimately reaching around Tk 75,000.

The newlyweds were among a plethora of tourists who had found themselves stranded in various parts of Bangladesh over the past week.

Furthermore, most trips that had been planned by tourists over the past week were cancelled due to the volatile situation.

"Neither tour operators nor tourists were prepared for the recent situation, which occurred suddenly," said Taufiq Uddin Ahmed, former president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh.

He added that the unprecedented business shock had served as a bitter experience for tour operators, tourists, and tourism-centric businesses, but hoped the impact would not be felt for long.

Imranul Alam, owner of Tour Group BD, which operates houseboat services in Tanguar Haor in Sylhet, said July to August is the peak season for tourism in the region.

The natural beauty of Tanguar Haor as well as the tea gardens of Sreemangal and the waterfalls of Jaflong attracts many visitors during the period, he added. However, no tourists visited these spots over the past week after most bookings were cancelled.

According to Alam, there are at least 200 houseboats in Tanguar Haor, of which around 80 percent remain booked during the rainy season.

A view of Kuakata sea beach in Patuakhali. Photo: Sohrab Hossain

But all the houseboats are currently sitting idle, he said.

Alam said a houseboat brings in between Tk 3 lakh to Tk 5 lakh per week depending on size and facilities, estimating that houseboat operators and other service providers would miss out on at least Tk 2 crore in revenue.

Subrata Chakma, manager of Khasrang Hill Resort in Sajek, said around 200 tourists were stranded in the valley for three days after the government imposed a curfew and bus services from Khagrachhari to Dhaka were shut down.

However, law enforcement agencies helped the tourists leave by providing transport.

He said the tourists did not face any food shortages, but were worried as they could not contact family and relatives due to the internet blackout. Chakma added that there was no sign of nervousness among the tourists, who instead treated the situation as part of an adventure.

Businessmen in Kuakata lost around Tk 50 crore in revenue over the last seven days, estimated Rumman Imtiaze Tushar, president of the Tour Operators' Association of Kuakata.

Around 150 tourists who were stuck in Kuakata returned to their homes with the help of law enforcement agencies on Tuesday evening.

Abul Hasan, a resident of the capital's Malibagh area, said: "I came to Kuakata with my family on July 5 and planned to stay until July 17 to enjoy the beauty of the rainy season. But we got stuck here."

Selim Newaz, general secretary of the Cox's Bazar Hotel Motel Guest House Owners' Association, said around 20,000 tourists were visiting Cox's Bazar per day before the curfew was imposed.

"But after the curfew, tourists left the town and no new tourists are arriving, resulting in a slide of business. We are incurring huge losses.

"We don't know when the situation will be normal and we will get tourists," he lamented.

Mohammad Ali, acting president of the Cox's Bazar Restaurant Owners' Association, said many eateries have remained shut due to a lack of tourists, including his own venture "Jhawban".

"We have been incurring huge losses since all costs for operating the business have to be paid," he added.​

 

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Dhaka's falling safety scores

New research by Forbes Advisor has ranked Dhaka the sixth riskiest city on earth for tourists. However, Dhaka was never a great tourist attraction to be shocked by this poor ranking by an international rating body. True, it has been notorious for its dreadful traffic, poor air quality, not so envia

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Dhaka's falling safety scores
SYED FATTAHUL ALIM
Published :
Jul 29, 2024 21:42
Updated :
Jul 30, 2024 21:35

New research by Forbes Advisor has ranked Dhaka the sixth riskiest city on earth for tourists. However, Dhaka was never a great tourist attraction to be shocked by this poor ranking by an international rating body. True, it has been notorious for its dreadful traffic, poor air quality, not so enviable infrastructure and other features that cannot be called ideal for drawing many tourists from across the world. But there was also never any serious attempt from the government's tourism department to make Dhaka with its long history and rich culture a place worth visiting by sightseers from home and abroad. Nevertheless, unlike some other South Asian cities that draw a large number of tourists despite their poor reputation for high incidence of crime, Dhaka was considered at least a safe place for visitors. But if one is to believe the new research by Forbes Advisor, Dhaka has now lost its earlier reputation as a safe place for tourists. Now, let's take a look at the metrics used to conclude that Dhaka is not so safe a city for visitors.

The factors that Forbes analysis considered to assess safety features of a city included crime, healthcare quality and risks of natural disasters. The score points ascribed to the safety factors range from 0 to 100. The higher the score of a city on this measuring scale, the riskier it is for tourists, while lower the points earned on the score card, safer is the country for tourists. Singapore, an Asian city, could beat, by the Forbes Advisor standard, the traditional European competitors and make it to the top followed by Tokyo, Toronto, Sydney, Zurich, Copenhagen, Seoul, Osaka, Melbourne and Amsterdam. On the Forbes Advisor's safety yardstick, these 10 countries, out of the 60 it assessed, are the safest destinations for tourists. And the most unsafe city on this scale is Caracas, the capital of the South American nation, Venezuela, as it scored 100 out of 100. As mentioned before, Bangladesh is the sixth most unsafe country by scoring 89.50 out of 100.

Such risk assessment of tourist spots is actually promoted by insurance companies and these valuations are also not entirely free from bias. Venezuela has a very strained political relation with the USA and, by default, with rest of the West. Naturally, fewer tourists will be willing to visit that country. Same will be the case with other low-rated countries on the Forbes Advisor's safety scale.

Even so, there is no room for complacency in the case of Bangladesh. For its score was no better even according to the study conducted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on travel and tourism, the result of which was released in May. It ranked last among the 19 Asia Pacific countries. Worse yet, even among the 5 South Asian countries, Bangladesh was placed at the bottom as it scored 3.19 out of 7, while India topped the South Asian list by scoring 4.25, followed by Sri Lanka (3.69), Pakistan (3.41) and Nepal (3.34).The ranking was done among 119 economies of the world to assess their travel and tourism development index for 2024. It's no surprise that Bangladesh earned 109th place among those 119 countries assessed in the Travel and Tourism Development Index.

Despite the fact that Bangladesh's overall performance was poor on both Forbes Advisor's and WEF's yardsticks, it still fared very well at least in relation to one area of the latter's (WEF's) assessment criteria. And that was about its 'Travel and Tourism (T&T) Resources' dimension. That means Bangladesh is a potential tourist destination considering its travel and tourism resources. So, what is necessary is to improve other dimensions of rating considered by the rating agencies such as 'enabling environment', 'travel and tourism (T&T) policy', 'infrastructure and services' and so on.

Dhaka deserves a better place among the great tourist spots. And it does rightfully so.​

 

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Mitha Moin Haor (vast lake area) near KishoreGanj, Bangladesh

 

[Bilal9]

One pilot guy from the UK recounts his travels all over Bangladesh.

7 Days in Bangladesh: An Awesome 1-Week Adventure Itinerary

Massive waterfalls, ancient tea plantations, and the longest beach in the world. Here's how to discover the beauty of Bangladesh in 7 days.

thepilotwhoexplores.com

 

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Tourism in turmoil

The tourism sector of Bangladesh has been hit hard by the 2024 national elections, unfavourable weather, recurring floods and anti-discrimination movement in the current year compared to last year, as people are unwilling to travel for fear of violence.

www.thedailystar.net

Tourism in turmoil
Polls, political unrest, floods, unfavourable weather deal a heavy blow to the sector

An almost empty Kuakata beach. Photo: Star

The tourism sector of Bangladesh has been hit hard by the 2024 national elections, unfavourable weather, recurring floods and anti-discrimination movement in the current year compared to last year, as people are unwilling to travel for fear of violence.

Amid all this crisis, Bangladesh like the rest of the world will be observing World Tourism Day today.

Meanwhile, despite offering heavy discounts and various facilities, the industry is not getting the expected number of tourists during the peak travel season.

As such, hotels, resorts, restaurants and other allied industries of the tourism sector are facing difficult times this year, and if the situation continues, their losses will widen in the days ahead.

The sector accounted for three percent of the country's gross domestic product in fiscal 2018-19, according to the Tourism Satellite Account 2020 of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

Additionally, the sector accounted for eight percent of the total employment that year.

Bangladesh is home to the world's longest sea beach as well as the world's largest mangrove forest, alongside numerous places of outstanding natural beauty.

Although tourists travel throughout the year, the peak season in Bangladesh begins in September and continues till March.

Motaleb Sharif, general secretary of Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association, said traders are facing huge losses this year compared to 2023.

Countrywide political unrest on the eve of the national elections, severe heat waves during March-April, heavy rains starting from June and the mass uprising in July-August has led to few tourists visiting the country, he said.

Sylhet is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Most spots in Sylhet get crowded during the winter and rainy seasons; but this year the scenario is different.

Sumat Nuri Juwel, former president of Sylhet Hotel and Resort Owner Association, said, "Till July it was devastating for the industry compared to previous years. But we are witnessing a positive wind and hope the upcoming winter season will be positive."

"For months till September, not a single person came to visit Ratargul. The people like us who solely rely on tourists renting our boats, suffered the most," said Sona Miah, a boatman of Ratargul Swamp Forest.

Due to the recent turmoil in the country, few tourists are interested in visiting Cox's Bazar, said Abu Talib Shah, Assistant General Manager of Hotel Cox Today.

He admitted that the recent incidents of harassing women and third gender people in the beach and town have impacted tourists' interest in Cox's Bazar. He added that the administration is ensuring tight security for tourists.

He said around 40 percent of rooms have been booked at their hotel ahead of tourism day, but it is far less than previous year's bookings.

Mohammad Rafeuzzaman, president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh, the apex body of travel agencies, said compared to the last year, the business has faced losses.

"Now everyone is planning around the upcoming season. I request the government to look into the tourism sector," he said.

Santus Kumar Deb, former chairman of department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of Dhaka University, said tourists will not visit without proper security.​

 

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Tourism for peace: prospect in Bangladesh

Another thrust comes round for promoting Bangladesh's dormant tourism opportunities, attuned to a global campaign trail, for both economic and social gains. September 27 is World Tourism Day (WTD). This day is observed in the member- countries of the United Nations (UN) in a meaningful manner for t

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Tourism for peace: prospect in Bangladesh
Md Anowar Hossain Bhuiyan
Published :
Sep 26, 2024 21:51
Updated :
Sep 26, 2024 21:51

Another thrust comes round for promoting Bangladesh's dormant tourism opportunities, attuned to a global campaign trail, for both economic and social gains. September 27 is World Tourism Day (WTD). This day is observed in the member- countries of the United Nations (UN) in a meaningful manner for tourism development to ensure benefits for all stakeholders. This year, the theme of this day is 'Tourism and Peace' that highlights the active role of tourism in keeping global peace and exchanging opportunities for cultural harmony to build a peaceful and inclusive globe with economic prosperity.

Moreover, the influential role of tourism is essential to promote peace by encouraging cross-cultural interactions and enhancing the host nations' economy. The host country for WTD this year is Georgia, which is rich in culture, history, and lucrative landscapes. SDG-16 is relevant to the WTD theme of achieving sustainable development for any country.

The WTD's theme emphasises global peace and justice regarding social equity, migration, climate-change issues, cultural conservation, and diplomatic justice. So, the international community's focus on tourism development for long-term prosperity and peace around the globe by encouraging fruitful dialogue and successful collaboration among nations. Tourists can learn about locals' culture, heritage, lifestyles, values, and other local aspects when they travel to the destinations. These diverse experiences give them a clear understanding of the regional perspectives, leading to achieving peace and prosperity in society. Tourism is a powerful weapon for connecting communities for job creation, enhancing local economics, conserving natural and cultural heritage, and building peaceful circumstances. Furthermore, tourism can promote economic enhancement among the neighbouring communities through peaceful cooperation and development. This industry allows hosts and tourists to interact and share their values, cultural diversity, lifestyle, experiences, and beliefs, promoting mutual respect, peace, and prosperity.

Tourism development can ensure social peace and justice regarding economic enhancement, cultural-exchange opportunities, environmental awareness, and community wellbeing. The tourism sector makes a significant financial contribution by providing job opportunities, attracting investment, supporting local businesses, and developing infrastructure. Tourism activities can preserve and promote cultural and natural heritage and provide mutual understanding among the communities. This sector's development can ensure local stakeholders' awareness of ecological issues and encourage tourists to travel to protect the environment responsibly. Its development can improve the quality of life and increase basic facilities and services for the local communities. Sustainable tourism development ensures equitable peace levels in societies due to improved positive attitudes and harmonious relationships among the communities.

Tourism development for peacekeeping activities can help achieve SDG targets for the nations. It can reduce violence by establishing responsible development, security, and surveillance in the destinations. Sustainable tourism development creates better futures for the relevant stakeholders. It reduces crime, trafficking, other illegal activities, and corruption due to tourist activities. Sustainable tourism development encourages tourism companies to conduct transparent and accountable business activities. It is ensuring equitable, inclusive, representative, and participatory tourism activities. Moreover, sustainable tourism development is respectful to diverse races, religions, genders, ages, and marginal people for understanding the ethical values of the community.

Bangladesh is full of tourist treasures such as beaches, lakes, rivers, hills, forests, wildlife, tribal life, archaeological remains, historical monuments, religious and cultural heritages, and handicrafts that offer great value for tourist attractions. These attractions provide valuable experiences for tourists from home and abroad. Moreover, at least 55 ethnic communities living in Bangladesh have unique cultural identities. Their followed traditional lifestyle has remained intact for hundreds of years. Furthermore, the people of Bangladesh are friendly, simple, and very popular with international and domestic tourists. The factors mentioned above can make Bangladesh a popular tourist destination worldwide.

Bangladesh can focus on tourism development to ensure sustainable growth and maintain peace and justice. Tourism development can benefit the local economy and categorise the country as a 'safe destination' worldwide. Moreover, tourism development can reduce crime, violence, and terrorism by protecting tourists and improving the country's law-and-order situation. People from different religious and ethnic communities live together in the country. Tourism development can be able to maintain harmonious relationships among the people of different religious and ethnic communities in Bangladesh. This harmony is one of the great attractions for the tourists and also keeps peace in society. Moreover, government agencies are also concerned about protecting tourists from unavoidable circumstances, which ensures peace and prosperity in the country.

However, some challenges remain to keeping peace through tourism development in Bangladesh. Firstly, there is a lack of a proper image of Bangladesh as a tourist destination abroad to attract foreigners. Secondly, poor tourism infrastructure and improper development of tourist assets also make it difficult for peaceful tourism. Thirdly, proper publicity of tourist attractions is also essential for promoting Bangladesh as a safe tourist destination. Fourthly, trained and adequate manpower is needed to provide secure services to tourists. Some initiatives can be taken to develop Bangladesh as a safe destination. Firstly, the government can expand the services of Tourist Police countrywide and formulate proper policy support for developing Bangladesh as a safe destination. Secondly, sufficient tourism infrastructure and sustainable use of tourist assets are necessary for safe tourist destinations. Thirdly, essential initiatives for promotional activities and qualified manpower should be taken for tourism development. Fourthly, the foreign missions of Bangladesh can take initiatives to promote the country's positive image abroad. Finally, necessary efforts are essential to arrange coordinated initiatives between government agencies, relevant tourism stakeholders, and local communities for the country's responsible tourism development to ensure social peace and prosperity. These efforts will ensure the achievement of SDG 16 as well as long-term stability and justice in societies.

Dr Md Anowar Hossain Bhuiyan teaches at the National University, Bangladesh.​