Overhauling the tourism sector
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Potential of tourism in improving the image of a country cannot be overemphasised. Image apart, if this sector of the economy is run efficiently, it can also contribute to the national economy enormously. But so far Bangladesh has not been able to turn itself into an international tourists' destination. As a result, it has neither been able to brighten its image before the international community, nor earn any significant amount of foreign currency from this sector. The reason is obvious. The state-run tourism department is weighed down by a top-heavy bureaucracy and all the syndromes that go with it-sloth, corruption and lack of vision.
Consider the facts. The country has a rich history and cultural heritage. There are numerous places of scenic beauty and of historical interest. And, the population is friendly towards guests and visitors. Then why is it that during the thirty-seven plus years of its existence, Bangladesh has been limping along like this so far as its tourism industry is concerned? Without doubt, all these lost years have been a colossal wastage of time and opportunity
Thankfully, it is against this backdrop that the incumbent government has finally turned its attention to this very prospective sector of the economy. At a recently-held roundtable the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Mahbub Jamil, has informed all concerned that the government is going to set up a National Tourism Authority (NTA). This proposed NTA will run as an independent and autonomous body. And for the ratification of the launching of such an establishment, a law will also be enacted by next month, the adviser further said.
In fact, any well-meaning step by the government to develop the tourism sector into a viable chunk of the economy is always welcome. If it is found that the present set-up is unable to deliver- which is undeniably true, because, its past performance speaks volumes for that-then the government must do away with it. But while doing that, one has also to be careful that it is not a mere change of form without affecting the content. So it would be expected of the government that the envisaged National Tourism Authority would be a big departure from our past experience on the matter and that it would function in a business-like fashion remaining free from any kind of bureaucracy and sloth.
On this score, Bangladesh can learn from its Southeast Asian neighbours as to how to sell a nation's image as a tourists' treasure trove to the rest of the world and brand itself accordingly. Needless to say, innovative approaches are essential to make the world aware of the country's tourist attractions. And alongside this, necessary infrastructures have also to be developed at the potential tourist sites supported with trained manpower to serve the visitors there.
In this context, one needs also to keep in mind here that tourism is not all about attracting foreign visitors and earning foreign currency from them. We have also the untapped reserve of the internal tourism. And the patriotic patronage of the local visitors is readily available. But then the proposed tourism authority will have also to demonstrate to them that it has really become an efficient service-oriented body and that they will get their money's worth by accepting its service.
The third aspect of the issue is beauty. A nation that is self-conscious must also keep itself beautiful for its own sake. There is nothing wrong in it, if by keeping its scenic and heritage spots in presentable order, it can also earn some money from it. Looking from every angle, the tourism sector deserves a complete overhauling and urgently at that. In this context, the present move of the government may help usher in a new era for tourism for the nation, if it is properly pursued for setting the basics night.
Consider the facts. The country has a rich history and cultural heritage. There are numerous places of scenic beauty and of historical interest. And, the population is friendly towards guests and visitors. Then why is it that during the thirty-seven plus years of its existence, Bangladesh has been limping along like this so far as its tourism industry is concerned? Without doubt, all these lost years have been a colossal wastage of time and opportunity
Thankfully, it is against this backdrop that the incumbent government has finally turned its attention to this very prospective sector of the economy. At a recently-held roundtable the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Mahbub Jamil, has informed all concerned that the government is going to set up a National Tourism Authority (NTA). This proposed NTA will run as an independent and autonomous body. And for the ratification of the launching of such an establishment, a law will also be enacted by next month, the adviser further said.
In fact, any well-meaning step by the government to develop the tourism sector into a viable chunk of the economy is always welcome. If it is found that the present set-up is unable to deliver- which is undeniably true, because, its past performance speaks volumes for that-then the government must do away with it. But while doing that, one has also to be careful that it is not a mere change of form without affecting the content. So it would be expected of the government that the envisaged National Tourism Authority would be a big departure from our past experience on the matter and that it would function in a business-like fashion remaining free from any kind of bureaucracy and sloth.
On this score, Bangladesh can learn from its Southeast Asian neighbours as to how to sell a nation's image as a tourists' treasure trove to the rest of the world and brand itself accordingly. Needless to say, innovative approaches are essential to make the world aware of the country's tourist attractions. And alongside this, necessary infrastructures have also to be developed at the potential tourist sites supported with trained manpower to serve the visitors there.
In this context, one needs also to keep in mind here that tourism is not all about attracting foreign visitors and earning foreign currency from them. We have also the untapped reserve of the internal tourism. And the patriotic patronage of the local visitors is readily available. But then the proposed tourism authority will have also to demonstrate to them that it has really become an efficient service-oriented body and that they will get their money's worth by accepting its service.
The third aspect of the issue is beauty. A nation that is self-conscious must also keep itself beautiful for its own sake. There is nothing wrong in it, if by keeping its scenic and heritage spots in presentable order, it can also earn some money from it. Looking from every angle, the tourism sector deserves a complete overhauling and urgently at that. In this context, the present move of the government may help usher in a new era for tourism for the nation, if it is properly pursued for setting the basics night.