Tourism : change mindsets

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Government high-ups and policy makers have hazy as well as negative ideas about tourism. They firmly believe that to attract foreign tourists to Bangladesh, the country needs to have nightlife facilities, bars, massage parlours etc., as if these are the essence of tourism.
One of our ex-state ministers for tourism said in a seminar that tourists would come to Bangladesh if the price of alcoholic beverages could be brought down. One ex-finance minister of the country said in a meeting, "Tourist-ra kee Bangladeshe milad porte aibo?" (Will tourists come to Bangladesh to attend milad?) He was indicating the lack of western style nightlife in Bangladesh.
With this sort of idea, our government policy makers have set their minds on setting-up an exclusive tourist zone near Cox's Bazaar, with all nightlife facilities, where domestic tourists will not be allowed.
To change this mindset, the policy makers need to know that at present the number of international eco-tourists is more than one hundred million; and they are not after the nightlife in the country, which they go to visit. These eco-tourists visit a country only to experience the nature, culture, and heritage of that country.
The number of eco-tourists in the world has been increasing by more than ten percent a year. Initially, Bangladesh may set its target to attract one million eco-tourists a year. To achieve that target, it will have to chalk out a down-to-earth tourism marketing strategy and go for aggressive marketing in countries, which produce most of the outbound tourists.
Munira Hossein
Baridhara, Dhaka.