Quader prefers int'l tourists for forex inflow
Sunday, 7 November 2010
FE Report
Civil aviation and tourism minister GM Quader said Saturday Bangladesh needs to increase the number of international tourists to earn foreign exchange by promoting it as a tourism hotspot.
"Our inbound tourists are growing consistently over the decade but it's the international tourists who can give us foreign exchange. That's not at expected level," he said.
The minister said if the country can brighten its image abroad, it can be a preferred tourist destination in the region.
"People know us in a negative way. But once they come to Bangladesh their concept and perception changes and they do not want to leave the country," he told a workshop in the city.
The workshop, organised jointly by Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) and Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF), was designed to formulate a strategic roadmap for promoting Bangladesh's tourism.
Mr Quader said his ministry is rather "inexperienced" and lacks expertise to frame an effective strategy for the tourism industry to achieve its expected results.
"We want to get insights from experts who can provide valuable input for us," said the minister.
He, however, underscored the need for effective government leadership to get the expected results from the development initiative in this industry taken by private entrepreneurs.
In his speech, civil aviation and tourism secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi said small countries normally have rare opportunities to attract outside people that can be developed through strategic roadmap to harness the tourism potential of Bangladesh.
"Negative image, weak infrastructure and lack of promotional campaign are the main roadblocks for the tourism industry," said the secretary, also chairman of the BTB.
In its presentation, the board said the governments' target is to increase the number of international tourists by one million by 2011.
Currently there is one tourism related job in every 12 jobs globally which will be one job in every 10.2 jobs by 2020.
Qatar is the fastest growing tourism destination and India and China will replace Qatar to become the world's fastest growing tourist destinations over the next decade.
Civil aviation and tourism minister GM Quader said Saturday Bangladesh needs to increase the number of international tourists to earn foreign exchange by promoting it as a tourism hotspot.
"Our inbound tourists are growing consistently over the decade but it's the international tourists who can give us foreign exchange. That's not at expected level," he said.
The minister said if the country can brighten its image abroad, it can be a preferred tourist destination in the region.
"People know us in a negative way. But once they come to Bangladesh their concept and perception changes and they do not want to leave the country," he told a workshop in the city.
The workshop, organised jointly by Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) and Bangladesh Brand Forum (BBF), was designed to formulate a strategic roadmap for promoting Bangladesh's tourism.
Mr Quader said his ministry is rather "inexperienced" and lacks expertise to frame an effective strategy for the tourism industry to achieve its expected results.
"We want to get insights from experts who can provide valuable input for us," said the minister.
He, however, underscored the need for effective government leadership to get the expected results from the development initiative in this industry taken by private entrepreneurs.
In his speech, civil aviation and tourism secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi said small countries normally have rare opportunities to attract outside people that can be developed through strategic roadmap to harness the tourism potential of Bangladesh.
"Negative image, weak infrastructure and lack of promotional campaign are the main roadblocks for the tourism industry," said the secretary, also chairman of the BTB.
In its presentation, the board said the governments' target is to increase the number of international tourists by one million by 2011.
Currently there is one tourism related job in every 12 jobs globally which will be one job in every 10.2 jobs by 2020.
Qatar is the fastest growing tourism destination and India and China will replace Qatar to become the world's fastest growing tourist destinations over the next decade.