Bangladesh’s tourism potentials have largely remained unutilised. The Bangladesh Tourism Council took many plans and strategies in the past to make the tourism sector a major source of foreign currency earnings, but it conspicuously failed to do so either for mismanagement of the plans, or as in some cases, these plans could not even take-off. Now, before the nation is the target of achieving sustainable developed goals (SDGs) and the achievement of SDGs by 2030 would be incomplete unless Bangladesh sees a vigorous growth of its tourism industry.
Since this sector’s development is vitally connected to several other SDGs, it is very important now to take tourism as a priority sector. With tourism, research says, some 109 sectors are directly and 1100 sub-sectors indirectly linked. Moreover, every single tourist creates 10 direct and 35 indirect employment opportunities. Therefore, tourism’s importance for the achievement of SDGs can be underestimated.
The prospect of Bangladesh’s tourism industry is huge. Because of lack of seriousness as well as absence of a planned and systematic approach, tourism here could not be developed as a strong industry like that of Nepal or India and other regional countries. The island-country Maldives’ economy is mainly based on tourism. The attractive sea beaches have been transformed as a great source of people’s survival there. Bangladesh also possesses the world’s longest stretch of sea beach, the largest mangrove forest beside the sea and many attractive natural as well as archaeological sites. Recently, tourism experts have pertinently pointed out that Bangladesh’s minority groups such as Chakma, Marma, Garo, Santal, etc., each with its unique cultural heritage and traditions, can also become attractions for tourists.
For this infrastructural development is necessary. Dearth in infrastructure and approach roads to many sights and places is one of the reasons why the country’s tourism could not make a major breakthrough. Had that not been the case the hilly areas of greater Chattogram would have been haunted by the foreign as well as local tourists all through the year. If BTC does not address these problems, the country can never expect much from its eco-tourism.
For many reasons, tourists meet unnatural deaths in Bangladesh for which the tourism industry in the country does not get the needed momentum. Road accidents are common. The number of tourists dying from drowning is not small. Each year, scores of tourists die by drowning. For the growth of tourism, ensuring the safety of tourists is vitally important.
