Developing tourism for economic growth
Saturday, 24 November 2007
Mohammad Shahidul Islam
Reams of paper have gone into writing about the prospect of tourism in Bangladesh in all the mediums of reporting. For last three decades, we are endeavouring to develop tourism but the expectations are not always met. The good news is that many high officials, concerned with national development, have recently come to understand the importance of tourism. Apart from this, tourism is the world's largest industry and a major source of employment and revenue. It also contributes towards conserving environment.
Tourism is the world's largest industry. There is some statistics to justify this assertion, especially for those who give more importance to facts and figures. According to the World Tourism Council, last year tourism alone produced over US$6 trillion in revenue. It provided jobs to around 221 million people globally. It is expected that by 2015 it will be providing some 269 million jobs. Between 2006 and 2015, tourism's growth rate is expected to be 4.6 per cent on an average per year.
Tourism, on a national scale, not only can produce employment but also may be a major source of renewable export. It must be noted however that to be a renewable resource, tourism must be developed in a sustainable manner. That means where ecologies are fragile, numbers and activities must be tightly controlled; pollution must be checked, and local cultures protected.
Tourism can add to the local economy in a variety of ways. Those include revenue earned on spending made by tourists at hotel sand restaurants, conventions and meetings held, taxes paid on transportation, etc.
Tourism and economic development go hand-in-hand. Think about what makes a place a good tourism centre. What are the essential ingredients of tourism? Here are a few of the essential points that tourism needs for its future growth in Bangladesh:
No one wants to visit a place that is not clean or unhealthy. Tourism cannot survive without a clean and safe environment. In a like manner communities that do not provide pleasant surroundings and a clean environment have a very hard time attracting business.
Tourism requires friendly people and good service. No matter what the attraction may be, a tourism centre that lacks good customer service and friendly people will fail. In the same way, communities that offer poor service not only do not attract newcomers, but in the end have a difficult time holding on to their local population, young people and businesses.
Tourism requires good restaurants, hotels and things to do. Those are the same factors that are essential to any community seeking economic development.
Bangladesh can be a very ideal destination of community based tourism. The sustainable progress for poverty eradication, in the present time is suitable to consider the implementation of community-based tourism. Bangladesh is a country of thousands of villages. Most of its heritage sites and international tourist spots are positioned around villages. These are intended for education as well as recreation. Sometimes rare plant or animal species are the main attraction, sometimes traditional food, handicraft or historic buildings. A European example of a well-developed rural tourism is France. Camping and caravans are the most popular form of accommodation in rural areas, many of them on farms. Many farmers have developed camping sites on their farms. Others prefer to invest in various kinds of short-term rental houses known as "gîtes."
Bangladesh has huge potential for tourism. The concept of community-based rural tourism and its benefits are still unexplored. Now is the right time to think of rural tourism development. Apart from rural tourism, all general attractions, like archaeological sites, historical places, natural beaches are more or less getting importance. These go fine! But paradoxically, rural tourism can turn into a booming sector for at least two reasons. First, through rural tourism, Bangladesh may rid itself of poverty, and second, the infrastructure of far-off and rural places would be developed.
Community-based rural tourism is becoming indispensable for the economic development of Bangladesh. Its repayments will act as a vehicle for the overall development of Bangladesh. Development of rural tourism will have the following results:
l Increase in Gross Domestic Product
l Human resource development
l Poverty mitigation
l Promotion of indigenous culture and heritage
l Development of river tourism and eco-tourism
l Development of rural livelihood
l Protection of indigenous rights and resources
l Education and training for all
l Conservation of environment
l Increase of local export
l Peace and happiness
l Promotion of local cuisine
l Women employment, etc.
Government and community leaders may also want to take into account that tourism adds prestige to a community. People like to live in a place that others consider worthy of visiting. Such pride in one's nationality or community can become an important tool to develop economy. People sell their community's best when there is a great deal to see and do in it, when it is safe and secure and when customer service is not merely a motto but a way of life. Community festivals, traditions, handicrafts, parks and natural settings all add to the desirability of a locale and its ability to sell itself to potential outside investors. Quality of life can also be reflected in a community's museums, concert halls, theatres and uniqueness.
Tourism is an important economic development tool for emerging and minority communities around the world. Since tourism is based on the appreciation of other cultures, tourism industries have been especially open to giving disadvantaged groups around the world opportunities that have often been denied to them by other economic sectors. In this regard tourism should not be looked at from the surface level.
Tourism requires a great deal of construction work and provides large numbers of entry level jobs. Tourists may infuse additional money into the local economy through shopping. In nations where manufacturing is not developed, the tourism industry can be an essential method to reinvigorate local economies.
Sooner or later, Bangladesh will be able to make the optimum use of its existing potential for tourism and thereby further develop its economy.
The author is a faculty of National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation
Reams of paper have gone into writing about the prospect of tourism in Bangladesh in all the mediums of reporting. For last three decades, we are endeavouring to develop tourism but the expectations are not always met. The good news is that many high officials, concerned with national development, have recently come to understand the importance of tourism. Apart from this, tourism is the world's largest industry and a major source of employment and revenue. It also contributes towards conserving environment.
Tourism is the world's largest industry. There is some statistics to justify this assertion, especially for those who give more importance to facts and figures. According to the World Tourism Council, last year tourism alone produced over US$6 trillion in revenue. It provided jobs to around 221 million people globally. It is expected that by 2015 it will be providing some 269 million jobs. Between 2006 and 2015, tourism's growth rate is expected to be 4.6 per cent on an average per year.
Tourism, on a national scale, not only can produce employment but also may be a major source of renewable export. It must be noted however that to be a renewable resource, tourism must be developed in a sustainable manner. That means where ecologies are fragile, numbers and activities must be tightly controlled; pollution must be checked, and local cultures protected.
Tourism can add to the local economy in a variety of ways. Those include revenue earned on spending made by tourists at hotel sand restaurants, conventions and meetings held, taxes paid on transportation, etc.
Tourism and economic development go hand-in-hand. Think about what makes a place a good tourism centre. What are the essential ingredients of tourism? Here are a few of the essential points that tourism needs for its future growth in Bangladesh:
No one wants to visit a place that is not clean or unhealthy. Tourism cannot survive without a clean and safe environment. In a like manner communities that do not provide pleasant surroundings and a clean environment have a very hard time attracting business.
Tourism requires friendly people and good service. No matter what the attraction may be, a tourism centre that lacks good customer service and friendly people will fail. In the same way, communities that offer poor service not only do not attract newcomers, but in the end have a difficult time holding on to their local population, young people and businesses.
Tourism requires good restaurants, hotels and things to do. Those are the same factors that are essential to any community seeking economic development.
Bangladesh can be a very ideal destination of community based tourism. The sustainable progress for poverty eradication, in the present time is suitable to consider the implementation of community-based tourism. Bangladesh is a country of thousands of villages. Most of its heritage sites and international tourist spots are positioned around villages. These are intended for education as well as recreation. Sometimes rare plant or animal species are the main attraction, sometimes traditional food, handicraft or historic buildings. A European example of a well-developed rural tourism is France. Camping and caravans are the most popular form of accommodation in rural areas, many of them on farms. Many farmers have developed camping sites on their farms. Others prefer to invest in various kinds of short-term rental houses known as "gîtes."
Bangladesh has huge potential for tourism. The concept of community-based rural tourism and its benefits are still unexplored. Now is the right time to think of rural tourism development. Apart from rural tourism, all general attractions, like archaeological sites, historical places, natural beaches are more or less getting importance. These go fine! But paradoxically, rural tourism can turn into a booming sector for at least two reasons. First, through rural tourism, Bangladesh may rid itself of poverty, and second, the infrastructure of far-off and rural places would be developed.
Community-based rural tourism is becoming indispensable for the economic development of Bangladesh. Its repayments will act as a vehicle for the overall development of Bangladesh. Development of rural tourism will have the following results:
l Increase in Gross Domestic Product
l Human resource development
l Poverty mitigation
l Promotion of indigenous culture and heritage
l Development of river tourism and eco-tourism
l Development of rural livelihood
l Protection of indigenous rights and resources
l Education and training for all
l Conservation of environment
l Increase of local export
l Peace and happiness
l Promotion of local cuisine
l Women employment, etc.
Government and community leaders may also want to take into account that tourism adds prestige to a community. People like to live in a place that others consider worthy of visiting. Such pride in one's nationality or community can become an important tool to develop economy. People sell their community's best when there is a great deal to see and do in it, when it is safe and secure and when customer service is not merely a motto but a way of life. Community festivals, traditions, handicrafts, parks and natural settings all add to the desirability of a locale and its ability to sell itself to potential outside investors. Quality of life can also be reflected in a community's museums, concert halls, theatres and uniqueness.
Tourism is an important economic development tool for emerging and minority communities around the world. Since tourism is based on the appreciation of other cultures, tourism industries have been especially open to giving disadvantaged groups around the world opportunities that have often been denied to them by other economic sectors. In this regard tourism should not be looked at from the surface level.
Tourism requires a great deal of construction work and provides large numbers of entry level jobs. Tourists may infuse additional money into the local economy through shopping. In nations where manufacturing is not developed, the tourism industry can be an essential method to reinvigorate local economies.
Sooner or later, Bangladesh will be able to make the optimum use of its existing potential for tourism and thereby further develop its economy.
The author is a faculty of National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation