The government needs to give greater attention to the tourism sector in the coming national budget as it has remained neglected for long despite having huge potentials to help earn huge foreign currency, says a tourism body executive.
“We need to develop modern facilities for the tourists for their comfortable tour and stay here,” Rezaul Ekram, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Foundation for Tourism Development (BFTD), toldjounalists.He said a comprehensive duty rebate on import of commodities, especially the import of tourist coaches with modern facilities apart from establishing better connectivity, can help promote the tourism industry further.
Responding to a question, Ekram said no one of the successive governments had given that much importance to the sector in the past.
“It had never been on the list of priority sector in the past. But we’re glad to know the Prime Minister has taken the sector seriously this time,” he said.
Ekram also said the development of tourism sector will help brighten Bangladesh’s image aboard further.
Tourism Fair
Ekram said a three-day tourism fair titled Bangladesh International Tourism Fair (BITF) will be held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre from June 19-21 to promote the country’s tourism sector.
He said 51 participants from 15 different countries and a number of prominent personalities from home and abroad will participate in the fair.
This year the fair will be more attractive in a wide space than the past ones with the participation of travel agents, tour operators, international and country tourist organisations, hotels, motels, resorts, airlines, car rental, railway, coach operator and many other national and international organisations.
The special attraction of the fair will be its cultural shows where artistes from a number of countries will perform, said Ekram, also the Chief Executive Officer of the BITF.- UNB
