Bangladesh must bank on cultural diversity to promote tourism

Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), a specialised agency of the United Nations, came to Dhaka to attend the two-day International Conference on Developing Sustainable and Inclusive Buddhist Heritage in South Asia's Buddhist Heartland.

During his three-day stay in Bangladesh, Rifai also visited the world's largest mangrove forest Sundarbans and the world's longest unbroken sea beach in Cox's Bazar.

Rifai, a Jordanian, is serving as the UNWTO secretary-general for the second four-year term, since January 2014. He served the organisation for the first term in 2010. He also served International Labour Organisation as assistant director-general.

A graduate of architectural engineering, Rifai had also served the Jordanian government as a minister in different capacities, including tourism and antiquities, information, and planning and international cooperation.

In an interview with Sohel Parvez of The Daily Star (TDS) on October 29, he shared his opinion on Bangladesh's tourism industry.

TDS. This is your first visit to Bangladesh. What's your impression of the country and what prospects for tourism do you see here?

Rifai: I am very impressed with what I have seen here, particularly as I did not know about or expect most of what I saw. That is always very positive, especially for someone like me, who has visited so many places all over the world. This means there must be something really interesting here, and that needs to be displayed and promoted.

Tourism is about showing the best of a country, celebrating what it has; and what I see in Bangladesh is particularly the rich diversity of culture, which is very remarkable and unique. Not only diversity, there is pride in that diversity in celebrating and exposing it. This is something that I really wish the world would see.

TDS. What steps can Bangladesh take to attract tourists from around the world?

Rifai:  I think every country in the world should bank on the strength of its people and its unique culture or cultures. Landscape and natural settings are important of course. And every country in the world can show off its mountains, its rivers, its beaches. What is unique about Bangladesh is its culture and its people. That is what Bangladesh should bank on, because that is unique. 

More importantly, the world should know that Bangladesh has Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists; it is a mix of all those people. It is the accumulation of history of centuries of all these. It has resulted in modern-day gallery of men and women. This is something that the world does not know yet or at least does not have a clear idea about.

TDS. Why is Bangladesh yet to attract a large number of foreign tourists?

Rifai: Tourism is not an easy industry to come to terms with. Many people do not understand the value and potential of tourism. It is an under-utilised and under-recognised sector. People think it is just about having fun. Of course, that is a part. But it is about creating jobs, building an image, strengthening a brand, lifting people out of poverty. It is about boosting trade and building infrastructure. This is what tourism is all about.

At this stage, I felt there is a new spirit, a new breath of belief and the government wants to do something with tourism in Bangladesh. I believe tourism is probably one of the key areas of progress of this country.

TDS. What are your key suggestions for the government and people involved in the tourism sector?

Rifai:  One -- have a clear strategy supported by the highest level of political hierarchy. Tourism is a very horizontal sector. It cannot be led only by the ministry of tourism. It has to be led by the highest level of authority, by the prime minister and the president.

Two -- start promoting the best of what you have. The world needs to know more about it. Create as much noise as you can, create as much attention as you can and invite as many people as you can.

Three -- focus on domestic tourism as well, and build the culture of your own people appreciating their own country. The countries that are appreciated by their own people are appreciated by visitors; the countries that are loved by their own people are loved by visitors. The countries that are safe for their people are safe for visitors.

So you must start with domestic tourism, build the infrastructure, build the culture for that and then everything will follow.

TDS. What's your take on tourism prospects in Bangladesh?

Rifai: I smell a success story already in the making in Bangladesh.