Decision to open up tourism sector to foreign investors

FE Team | Published: November 01, 2009 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
Civil aviation and tourism minister GM Quader said Saturday the government decided to invite foreign investors to help improve the country's rundown tourism infrastructure.
"The government is not in a position to invest in the tourism sector. We've other development priorities--poverty reduction, education and health services," he said.
"We've decided to invite foreign and private investors to build necessary infrastructure for development of the tourism sector. It's a sector, which can foster employment generation," Mr. Quader said while opening an "Imaging Bangladesh" initiative in the city.
Monitor Foundation, the non-profit arm of the premier travel fortnightly Bangladesh Monitor, has launched the initiative with a
view to burnishing the country's image abroad tainted by negative propaganda.
Journalist Raquib Siddiqi is the chairman of the Foundation and tourism expert Kazi Wahidul Alam is heading it as executive director.
The tourism minister said better imaging would create more demand in the field of tourism and attract private investments.
"Positive image should be built first. Then we can create an added demand," he told the launching ceremony.
Bangladesh has got many things to be proud of, but "bad" news presented by the media prevents it from projecting those overseas, he added.
Mr. Quader said that the country's potentials could be tapped in different ways, going beyond the bad news.
Hanif Zakaria, country manager at Emirates Airlines, said the God has gifted Bangladesh with natural resources-it has the world's longest unbroken sea beach and the mangrove forest Sundarbans.
"Bangladesh is a great country. So are its people. Bangladeshi people are required everywhere in the world," he said, urging the foundation to make the country an icon on the world stage.
"Bangladesh is a Sonar Bangla. We've to see that gold," he said.
In his address, Kazi Wahidul Alam blamed the image crisis for the poor flow of tourists and foreign investors.
"We often say Bangladesh is a country of immense tourism and foreign investment potentials. We also know the country is unable to do so--attract tourists and foreign investments on a large scale," he said.
"We've drawn our inspiration from the innovative public-private partnership of the present government," he said, calling upon the private sector to come forward to build the tourism sector.
The foundation head said the new organisation would work with civil aviation and tourism, foreign and youth and culture ministries, trade bodies and individuals.