Bangladesh to celebrate World Tourism Day
The government and different organisations have chalked out weeklong programmes to celebrate the World Tourism Day with the global theme 'Sustainable Tourism - a Tool for Development'.
"This year's World Tourism Day carries an extra significance for the country's tourism industry as Bangladesh has recently elected as the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) chair for South Asia," said civil aviation and tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon on Tuesday while addressing a press conference at Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) in Dhaka marking the World Tourism Day.
Bangladesh was elected as the chair of South Asian region of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at the 22nd general assembly of UNWTO, the most important global meeting of senior tourism officials in Chengdu of China, on 11 September last.
Besides, Menon said Dhaka is set to host the tourism ministerial meeting of OIC member countries from 12-14 November.
"All of these recent successes indicate that our tourism industry is advancing on the right track," the tourism minister said.
Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) AKhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir and CEO of BTB Md Nasir Uddin and additional secretary to civil aviation and tourism ministry M Emran were present at the briefing.
President Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday issued separate messages on the occasion of the World Tourism Day to be celebrated across the globe on 27 September.
In his message, the president said the government is extending all-out cooperation for the development of tourism sector of the country minimizing negative impacts on environment and biodiversity and promoting own culture and heritage through responsible Tourism and Community Based Tourism activities.
He said tourists, local community and stakeholders can play a vital role for the sustainable development of tourism.
The president expressed his believe that tourists would be respectful to the culture, heritage, tradition and values of local community as well as conserve environmental issues.
In her message, the prime minister said the greatest Bangali of all time father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in 1972 realizing the huge potential of tourism in Bangladesh.
"Our government has been working based on particular action plan to present Bangladesh's huge tourism potential to all types of tourists from home and abroad," she said.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina urged all concerned to participate spontaneously to improve people's living standard by carrying out tourism development activities upholding environmental balance and country's cultural heritage.
Along with BTB and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), different organisations including Aviation and Tourism Journalists' Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB), a platform of journalists covering aviation and tourism affairs, will organise series of events in observance of the World Tourism Day.
The Day's programme will begin with a colourful rally participating by all stakeholders of tourism sector from Matshya Bhaban to TSC of Dhaka University at 8:30am.
The BTB and Dhaka University Tourism Department will hold a seminar on this year's Theme at 11am at TSC auditorium.
The main attraction of the day is a daylong colourful festival and musical show, organised by ATJFB with the support of BTB, to be held at Rabindra Sarabor, one of the capital's popular cultural hubs.
Different organisations will showcase various tourism-related products and activities at the venue from morning while a discussion on this year's theme of sustainable tourism will be held at 3:30pm, ATJFB president Nadira Kiron said.
Civil aviation and tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon and home affairs minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal are expected to present at the discussion. In the afternoon, a live musical show will be staged where popular folk band Joler Gaan along with other traditional solo singers will perform.
The BPC has started its celebration centering World Tourism Day from 23 September and it will be continued till 30 September. The celebration includes food festival, holding chef day, sound and light show on the bank of Burihganga river seminars and cultural shows.
The Parjatan Bichitra, a travel magazine will organise a three-day regional tourism fair styled "6th Asian Tourism Fair from 28-30 September at Bashundhara Convention Centre in the capital.
Last year, 1.235 million travellers crossed international borders in one single year. By 2030, according to UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, this 1.2 billion will become 1.8 billion.