Menon for making tourism part of country's culture

Three-day Asian fair kicks off in city

FE Team | Published: September 28, 2017 22:02:27

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon on Thursday called for making tourism a part of our culture by availing innate hospitality of our people as the first attraction to flourish tourism, reports BSS.
"People of Bangladesh are hospitable. Hospitality of the people of this country is well-known", he said while inaugurating a three-day sixth Asian Tourism Fair-2017 in the capital city.
Mr Menon said the present government has declared tourism as a thrust sector with a firm belief that it would be a major tool for the country's future development.
"We have made a master plan to ensure planned development of the tourism sector. I believe the tourism industry will get a huge boost after implementation of the plan," he said.
Parjatan Bichitra, a monthly travel magazine, has organised the fair in association with Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) marking the World Tourism Day-2017 at the International Convention City, Bashundhara (ICCB) aimed at developing regional tourism.
Presided over by Parjatan Bichitra Editor Mohiuddin Helal, the inaugural ceremony was also addressed by BPC Chairman Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir and BTB CEO Dr Md Nasir Uddin, among others.
Different tour operators, travel agents, hotels, motels, theme parks and airlines from host Bangladesh and a numbers of Asian countries are showcasing their tourism products at 120 stalls on the fair premises.
Addressing the fair, Mr Helal said discounts are on offer for air tickets including hotel or tour package bookings for various tourist attractions at home and abroad ahead of the upcoming tourism season.
Besides, tourism-related seminars, drawing competition for children and youths and discussions will be held in the fair, he said.
The fair will remain open from 10 am to 7 pm everyday. The entry fee is Taka 20, but for the students entrance is free.