Tk 750m for SAARC tourism fair this year
Kamrun Nahar | Friday, 18 March 2011
Kamrun Nahar
The government has sanctioned Tk 700 million for Visit Bangladesh Campaign from the budget allocation in favour of Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), said a board official Thursday. In addition, BTB will also get Tk 50 million to organise the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Tourism Mart 2011. The board proposed for an estimated budget allocation of Tk 2.57 billion for promotion of tourism in Bangladesh at the cabinet meeting soon after the formation of BTB. "We have not yet received the government order (GO) to spend the money. Hopefully we will get it within next two weeks," an official told the FE. A 17-member BTB was formed with the secretary, tourism ministry as its chairman in September last. It has 11 members from the government agencies and five from the private sector. There was a decision to arrange a SAARC Tourism Mart during the 6th SAARC tourism ministerial meeting in Cox's Bazar. The fair was due to be held last year, the official said. "We are planning to propose two dates for the approval of Prime Minister's Office as the fair is expected to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister," the official added. The three-day fair may be held by the first two weeks of December this year. The government has declared 2011 as Tourism Year along with Nepal and Sri Lanka. The Board is assigned to work on promotion, development and enforcement of law, if necessary. It will also oversee, monitor and implement all tourism-related matters. The fair will be arranged by the BTB under direct supervision of the foreign ministry. The major part of the fund will be spent for the promotion of Bangladesh as a tourism destination outside the country and the rest for the development of various tourism services and products. All the related ministries and organisations will start promotional works as soon as they get the final order.
The government has sanctioned Tk 700 million for Visit Bangladesh Campaign from the budget allocation in favour of Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), said a board official Thursday. In addition, BTB will also get Tk 50 million to organise the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Tourism Mart 2011. The board proposed for an estimated budget allocation of Tk 2.57 billion for promotion of tourism in Bangladesh at the cabinet meeting soon after the formation of BTB. "We have not yet received the government order (GO) to spend the money. Hopefully we will get it within next two weeks," an official told the FE. A 17-member BTB was formed with the secretary, tourism ministry as its chairman in September last. It has 11 members from the government agencies and five from the private sector. There was a decision to arrange a SAARC Tourism Mart during the 6th SAARC tourism ministerial meeting in Cox's Bazar. The fair was due to be held last year, the official said. "We are planning to propose two dates for the approval of Prime Minister's Office as the fair is expected to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister," the official added. The three-day fair may be held by the first two weeks of December this year. The government has declared 2011 as Tourism Year along with Nepal and Sri Lanka. The Board is assigned to work on promotion, development and enforcement of law, if necessary. It will also oversee, monitor and implement all tourism-related matters. The fair will be arranged by the BTB under direct supervision of the foreign ministry. The major part of the fund will be spent for the promotion of Bangladesh as a tourism destination outside the country and the rest for the development of various tourism services and products. All the related ministries and organisations will start promotional works as soon as they get the final order.