Hospitality can boost Bangladesh tourism

Smiling faces of Bangladeshis and their gesture of hospitality are the best resources that the country can utilise to attract foreign tourists to visit it, observed two envoys in Dhaka.

But the poor road infrastructure and a lack of other facilities are discouraging foreigners, they said. 

French Ambassador in Dhaka Sophie Aubert and Canadian High Commissioner Benoît-Pierre Laramée made the observation at a roundtable on tourism organised by travel magazine Bhraman, Alliance Française, and French embassy, at the historic Rose Garden Palace in Old Dhaka.  

The diplomats appreciated the hospitable and friendly people of Bangladesh and their smiles that can make the difference. “Whenever we visit any place of Bangladesh, we see people with their natural smile which is necessary to be a tourist-friendly destination. Bangladeshi people like to talk with natural smile in their faces which tourists love to see and visit,” said Canadian high commissioner. French Ambassador said, “… Bangladesh also has a good number of attractive destinations which foreign tourists like to visit. But a lack of infrastructure facilities discourage them from visiting Bangladesh.”

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Memon said the government is working to address two problems -- infrastructure and connectivity --in tourism sector. Laila Raquib, owner of Rose Garden Palace, said Awami League held its inaugural meeting in the Palace; Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman attended that meeting.