Develop tourism sector to achieve SDGs: FBCCI

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has stressed the need for developing the country's tourism sector, in a bid to attain the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
It also called upon the government to treat the country's tourism as a priority sector.
The apex trade body came up with the suggestions during its Standing Committee Meeting on Tourism Development (Inbound, Outbound, Domestic and Civil Aviation) at the FBCCI office in Dhaka on Monday.
Chairman of the standing committee Taufiq Uddin Ahmed presided over the meeting.
At least six goals of the SDGs are directly and the rest are indirectly related to tourism, participants told the meeting.
If tourism is not flourished, the achievement of SDGs by 2030 will be hampered; hence, it's a must to develop the country's tourism sector, they said.
The participants, mainly from the tour operators, said that some 109 sectors were directly and 1,100 sub-sectors indirectly linked with the tourism industry.
Every single tourist creates 10 direct and 35 indirect employment opportunities, they mentioned.
Tour operators urged the government to officially announce the country open for foreign tourists, encouraging global tourists to visit Bangladesh.
At the same time, they demanded resumption of the 'on-arrival visa' facilities.
During the meeting, businessmen called for issuing licenses to tour operators, recognising them as exporters, easing the process of remitting money overseas, bringing tourist destinations under the tourism ministry, and ensuring security.
FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu said the tourism industry lacked skilled manpower.
"The industry may hire experienced managers and other staffers from Sri Lanka to deal with the problem," he observed.
Recognising the government's interest in the tourism sector, FBCCI Vice President MA Momen put emphasis on ensuring security at the tourist spots.
The coordination between public and private efforts has to be further enhanced, he added.
Another vice president of FBCCI, Md Amin Helaly, called for developing the standard of the hospitality services by taking skill development programmes.
Speaking on the occasion, FBCCI Director Syed Moazzem Hossain said the sector had to work on compliance, identifying tourism products and country branding as well as rationalising hotel, motel and resort fare.
Currently, the tourism sector contributes 3.5-4 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP).
This contribution has to be raised to 10 per cent; therefore, a coordinated action plan has to be formulated and implemented accordingly, the meeting discussed.
Former chief executive officer (CEO) of Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), Akhtaruz Zaman Khan, who was present at the meeting, said that the BTB should incorporate FBCCI representatives into it, in order to understand the private sector demands.
Director-in-Charge of the standing committee MGR Nasir Majumder assured that the FBCCI would continue to provide maximum assistance for the development of the tourism industry.
FBCCI Director Harun Or Rashid and the standing committee's Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, among others, were present at the meeting.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com