Tourism can help cut poverty: experts
The tourism sector can contribute to reducing poverty and help Bangladesh achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, industry experts said at a press meet yesterday.
“Tourism is a multi-dimensional industry that has links with a number of other sectors. It can play a role in cutting poverty,” said Md Abdus Samad, a director of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.
He said it is the private sector that can develop the tourism industry and the government is backing the entrepreneurs.
He spoke at the media briefing at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Dhaka, organised by Parjatan Bichitra to announce the eighth Asian Tourism Fair 2019.
The three-day fair begins tomorrow at the International Convention City, Bashundhara and will remain open to visitors from 10am to 8pm.
Some 150 exhibitors, including 50 companies from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, will take part in the fair.
The fair aims at creating a regional platform for tourism development and grow awareness on cultural exchanges among the Asean countries. Samad said the corporation has created a workforce of around 50,000 skilled people for different sub-sectors of the tourism sector.
Damaru Ballabha Paudel, director of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), emphasised the need for collective efforts to develop the tourism industry in the region.
He said 10 percent of the global revenue comes from the tourism sector, directly and indirectly.
“The Bimstec is committed to supporting the tourism sector.”
Mohammed Salahuddin, general manager for marketing and sales at Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said the national carrier is trying to promote the tourism sector by offering discount and various facilities to passengers.
Airlines business does not flourish without the development of the tourism sector, he said.
Mohiuddin Helal, chairman of the fair organising committee, said the fair would offer various packages at discounted prices for travel at home and abroad.
Alexander Haeusler, general manager of Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden; Khabir Uddin Ahmed, president of the Tourism Resort Industries Association of Bangladesh; SN Manzur Murshed, president of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh, and Taufiq Uddin Ahmed, president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh, were present at the event.
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