Tourism sector posting steady growth

The tourism sector of Bangladesh is set to stage a comeback defying security concern of some of the western countries. Threats were issued to the citizens of a number of countries so that they cannot tour Bangladesh in the wake of Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka on July 1, 2016. Bangladesh Bank (BB) statistics, however, reveal that the earnings from tourism sector in the calendar year 2017 clocked nearly 100 per cent growth compared to the preceding year. Industry insiders attributed this growth to the political stability and steady economic growth that the country witnessed in recent years. As per the statistics of BB and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), the country earned US$324.28 million from tourism sector during the January-December period of 2017 as against US$163.21 million in the previous year.

After the Gulshan café attack left some western countries issued warnings to their citizens against visiting Bangladesh - a country with many spots of historical importance and panoramic view. Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) and BPC said although the government set a target of attracting one million tourists, some 620,000 foreign tourists visited Bangladesh in the year 2016. Some 600,000 tourists visited Bangladesh earlier in 2015. The BTB and BPC said although the country has entered 2018, the data for tourist arrival for the year 2017 have not been updated by the special branch of the police. As per the statistics of BB and the BPC, Bangladesh earlier earned US$163.21 million from the tourism sector in 2016 compared to US$145.74 million in 2015 - thereby clocking 11.99 per cent growth in 2016. Tour operators think that as the country has prospect of earning at least US$1000 million from this sector, Bangladesh, however, should not remain complacent over such a growing figure of earnings.

The sector, following the Gulshan mayhem, got a massive blow which was difficult to recover. Tourism experts said terrorist incidents have taken place recently in Istanbul, Brussels, Paris and Mumbai, but the situation became normal in those places after taking necessary steps by the concerned governments. However, the situation in Bangladesh has also improved after the attack. Political, social, cultural and religious leaders will have to work together to bring back confidence in people. The guest arrivals at posh hotels like the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Westin Hotel, Radisson Water Garden Hotel, Hotel Amari, Lake Shore Hotel, Hotel Sarina and La Meridian marked rise in the previous year. A growing number of top executives of the multinational companies, officials of donor agencies and top brasses of INGOs visited Bangladesh during the period.

Earnings from tourism sector registered a steady rise since the year 2010 barring a significant dip in the year 2015. Records show that the earnings from the sector amounted to be US$145.74 million in 2015, US$158.09 million in 2014, US$121.45 million in 2013 and US$100.75 million in 2012. Earlier, the figure stood at US$83.73 million in 2011, US$79.83 million in 2010 and US$83.90 million in 2009. Experts in the sector have expressed the hope that the country's travel and tourism sector will continue to post a positive growth in the current calendar year of 2018 if Bangladesh missions abroad highlight the country positively and skillfully. But our political stability has to be sustainable and warnings by western countries against visiting Bangladesh are also to be lifted with proper government policy support to the growing tourism sector.

Sarwar Md. Saifullah Khaled is a retired Professor of Economics.

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