Tourism remains underdeveloped because of govt's indifference
Saturday, 30 October 2010
FE Report
Experts, tour operators and academicians said Friday no government has given due importance to the country's tourism sector since independence putting this one of the major revenue earning sectors in a poor state.
They also said it is the media that played a vital role in the development of the tourism sector side by side with private entrepreneurs rather than the government.
"No government was sincere for development of country's tourism sector since independence though the contribution of this sector to GDP 3.9 per cent in FY 2010 amounting to Tk 265.9 billion," said Taufiq Rahman, vice-president of Tour Operators' Association of Bangladesh.
He said the contribution of tourism to GDP in case of Bangladesh is expected to rise upto 4.1 per cent by 2020 or Tk 788.4 billion though it is the lowest compared to that in Thailand at 13.9 per cent, Malaysia at 13.4, Vietnam at 12.4, China at 9.2, India at 8.6, Indonesia at 7.7, Sri Lanka at 7.5, Nepal at 7.4 and Myanmar at 5.7 per cent of their total GDP.
These were observed at the roundtable discussion on Role of Media for Tourism Development held at a city hotel, organised by Parjatan Bichitra on the second day of the 4th Dhaka Tourism Fair 2010.
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) Chairman Hemayet Uddin Talukder was present as the chief guest while Tigers Tours Ltd chairperson Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, professor of Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of Dhaka University Syed Rashidul Hasan, media personalities Ali Imam and Abdus Sattar Tinku also spoke, among others, on the occasion.
Parjatan Bichitra editor Mohiuddin Helal delivered the address of welcome while Tourism Developers Association of Bangladesh (TDAB) chairman Zamiul Ahmed presented the keynote paper.
According to a research on 2010 travel and tourism of Bangladesh conducted by World Travel and Tourism Council, the contribution of this sector to employment will rise from 3.1 per cent of total employment, 23,73,000 jobs to 3.2 per cent of total employment, or 31,14,000 jobs by 2020.
Taufiq said 15 countries generate 80 per cent of the total tourists in the world.
"Now it is time to see what steps we have taken to promote our tourism industry," said Taufiq, also owner and CEO of Journey Plus.
The study has also shown that investment in travel and tourism is estimated at Tk 64.04 billion or 3.7 per cent of the total investment in this year, which will rise upto 3.8 per cent by 2020.
Taufiq mentioned that in November of 2009 there was a circular issued by home ministry which said any tourist would get on-arrival visa except for people from six countries - India, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Algeria and Israel - with no implementation till date.
"Even people of various entry points including landport, border authorities and airport people do not even know the existence of this circular," he said.
Hemayet Uddin Talukder said the government mostly fails in implementing any project as they have various limitations and bureaucratic tangle.
"The private entrepreneurs need to take the initiative to implement any tourism related project and should not depend on the government. The government will act as the facilitator," said the BPC chairman.
He said it needs a lot of budget for tourism promotional activities through which the country can earn billions but still the budget is not there.
He said media should promote the three basic elements of tourism - product, marketing and security and should be careful in presenting tourism related news.
Experts, tour operators and academicians said Friday no government has given due importance to the country's tourism sector since independence putting this one of the major revenue earning sectors in a poor state.
They also said it is the media that played a vital role in the development of the tourism sector side by side with private entrepreneurs rather than the government.
"No government was sincere for development of country's tourism sector since independence though the contribution of this sector to GDP 3.9 per cent in FY 2010 amounting to Tk 265.9 billion," said Taufiq Rahman, vice-president of Tour Operators' Association of Bangladesh.
He said the contribution of tourism to GDP in case of Bangladesh is expected to rise upto 4.1 per cent by 2020 or Tk 788.4 billion though it is the lowest compared to that in Thailand at 13.9 per cent, Malaysia at 13.4, Vietnam at 12.4, China at 9.2, India at 8.6, Indonesia at 7.7, Sri Lanka at 7.5, Nepal at 7.4 and Myanmar at 5.7 per cent of their total GDP.
These were observed at the roundtable discussion on Role of Media for Tourism Development held at a city hotel, organised by Parjatan Bichitra on the second day of the 4th Dhaka Tourism Fair 2010.
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) Chairman Hemayet Uddin Talukder was present as the chief guest while Tigers Tours Ltd chairperson Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, professor of Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of Dhaka University Syed Rashidul Hasan, media personalities Ali Imam and Abdus Sattar Tinku also spoke, among others, on the occasion.
Parjatan Bichitra editor Mohiuddin Helal delivered the address of welcome while Tourism Developers Association of Bangladesh (TDAB) chairman Zamiul Ahmed presented the keynote paper.
According to a research on 2010 travel and tourism of Bangladesh conducted by World Travel and Tourism Council, the contribution of this sector to employment will rise from 3.1 per cent of total employment, 23,73,000 jobs to 3.2 per cent of total employment, or 31,14,000 jobs by 2020.
Taufiq said 15 countries generate 80 per cent of the total tourists in the world.
"Now it is time to see what steps we have taken to promote our tourism industry," said Taufiq, also owner and CEO of Journey Plus.
The study has also shown that investment in travel and tourism is estimated at Tk 64.04 billion or 3.7 per cent of the total investment in this year, which will rise upto 3.8 per cent by 2020.
Taufiq mentioned that in November of 2009 there was a circular issued by home ministry which said any tourist would get on-arrival visa except for people from six countries - India, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Algeria and Israel - with no implementation till date.
"Even people of various entry points including landport, border authorities and airport people do not even know the existence of this circular," he said.
Hemayet Uddin Talukder said the government mostly fails in implementing any project as they have various limitations and bureaucratic tangle.
"The private entrepreneurs need to take the initiative to implement any tourism related project and should not depend on the government. The government will act as the facilitator," said the BPC chairman.
He said it needs a lot of budget for tourism promotional activities through which the country can earn billions but still the budget is not there.
He said media should promote the three basic elements of tourism - product, marketing and security and should be careful in presenting tourism related news.