With the combined efforts of both local and government bodies, the country's tourism industry will get a positive boost. Besides, the day is not too far when the industry will be a thrust sector in foreign remittance earning. At the same time, both local and foreign investments are also necessary for the smooth sustainable growth of the industry.
Civil aviation and tourism state minister Md Mahabub Ali came up with these comments while speaking as chief guest at a programme titled "8th Asian Tourism Fair 2019" organised by Parjatan Bichitra, supported by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, BIMSTIC Secretariat, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) and Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) at International Convention City Bashundhara in the capital on Thursday.
The state minister said, positive growth in the tourism industry is being witnessed for the last couple of years. A good number of initiatives under the present government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, are already flourishing the industry. He continued, "Once the entire project taken up by the government to develop the sector is completed, people both from the domestic and international arena will find a new Bangladesh".
“Not only this, the government's planning will create a huge number of employment opportunities for the people. Moreover, the day is not too far away when the sector will be the main one in earning foreign remittance,” he further said. “With the gradual increase of per capita income, a positive tendency among the people in the country is growing to travel both at home and abroad."
In this regard, he urged the people to explore country's untapped tourist destinations further.The first day of the fair will see cultural performances by cultural troupes from Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Indonesia subsequently. The main objective of this fair is to connect regional tourism with sustainability and demonstrate a complete scenario of the tourism industry of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) Chairman Ram Chandra Daas, BIMSTEC director general Shahidul Islam, Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh Rina P. Soemarno, Nepalese Ambassador to Bangladesh Basudev Mishra, and Bangladesh Tourism Board CEO Bhuban Chandra Biswas, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
Around 150 exhibitors including 50 foreign exhibitors from eight countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand are participating in the fair. The three-day fair will continue till September 28.
