World Tourism Day today

Bangladesh will celebrate World Tourism Day for the first time in all 64 districts along with capital Dhaka today (Friday) like elsewhere in the globe with this year's theme "Tourism and Jobs: a better future for all".

Bangladesh Tourism Board and Bangladesh Parjatanon Corporation under Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry and different organisations have chalked out weeklong programmes in the capital while district administrations will bring out colorfull rallies and organise seminars marking the day, reports BSS.

On the eve of the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages wishing success of all the programmes of the day.

In his message, the President said, "Bangladesh is blessed with huge tourism potential. We have a rich history, heritage and culture alongside sheer natural beauty. We have also the longest natural beach and the largest mangrove forest in the world, antiquities and myriads of other tourist attractions".

The country has everything to become one of the most sought-after tourist destinations, he said, adding that the government is providing all out support to develop Bangladesh as an exotic tourist destination.

"I hope, the tourism industry of Bangladesh would be able to reach its optimum destination through proper planning, efficient resource management and inclusive tourism," President Hamid said.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this year's theme 'Tourism and Jobs: A better future for all' clearly indicates the importance of this labour-intensive industry for socio-economic development of the country.

There is no alternative to increase the skilled work force in the tourism-related services in order to transform this industry into the key driving force of the economy, she added.

"In connection with that goal, our government is committed to increasing the skilled human resources in the tourism sector," Sheikh Hasina said, adding that priority has given in creating employment for the multi-purpose tourism industry as per the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The government has relentlessly been working to transform Bangladesh into a land of economic development and tourism and thereby build a 'Golden Bangladesh' as dreamt by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said.

The Prime Minister urged the private entrepreneurs to supplement the government efforts in this endeavour.

Earlier at a briefing on Monday last, State minister for civil aviation and tourism M Mahbub Ali said the government has taken short, medium and long term planning for exploiting full potential of Bangladesh's untapped tourism sector through attracting more foreign tourists here.

The government has also taken initiative to make a 'Tourism Master Plan' for bringing more efficiency and productivity at the tourism sector.

The Day's programme will begin with a colourful cycle rally at 8.30 am from Manik Mia Avenue to International Mother Language Institute via Farmgate, Kawranbazar, Hatirjheel and Magbazar.

The BTB and BPC will jointly hold a seminar on this year's theme at 10 am at International Mother Language Institute auditorium.

As part of the weeklong programme Aviation and Tourism Journalists' Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB), a platform of journalists covering aviation and tourism affairs, in association with the BTB awarded "Tourism Media Fellowship 2019" to 10 journalists at Jatiya Press Club on Wednesday.

The Parjatan Bichitra, a travel magazine, is organising a three-day tourism fair styled "8th Asian Tourism Fair", started from Thursday, at Bashundhara Convention Centre in the capital with participation of 150 different tourism service providing organisations of eight countries.

The state minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism inaugurated the fair in the morning where he urged both local and foreign enterprises to invest in the country's tourism sector along with the government.