Tourism fair kicks off in Dhaka

A woman takes a look at a brochure of a tour operator at a stall of Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair 2012, at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka yesterday. The three-day show organised by the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh began yesterday. Photo: STAR

The government is working to fix the problems of the local tourism industry to enhance the sector's contribution to the country's GDP, said Foreign Minister Dipu Moni yesterday.
“We believe the tourism sector is strongly linked with developing the country's economy, creating employment and boosting multilateral relationships with other countries.”
She spoke at the opening of the three-day Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Fair 2012, organised by the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (Toab), at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.
The country's tourism sector has vast potential along with many challenges, she said.
The government is also trying to ensure proper connectivity through improved infrastructure, and standard services to local and foreign tourists in the country, she said.
The minister urged the private sector entrepreneurs to take part along with the government to develop the tourism sector further.
She also stressed the need for developing eco-friendly tourism, which will help saving the environment and upholding national heritage.
A total of 209 stalls from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia, Greece, Sri Lanka and the Philippines are displaying their products and services at the show on the slogan "local tourism is the key to the development of tourism".
Tour operators, travel agents, hotels, airlines, resorts, guest houses, cruise operators, theme parks, transport operators, banks and insurance companies are the fair's participants.
The show will remain open to visitors from 10am to 8pm with an entry fee of Tk 30 per person.
During the fair, the association is scheduled to organise three seminars today on business opportunities for micro-enterprises involved in natural tourism, the role of banks in developing tourism, and the role of foreign missions and their economic wings in developing tourism.
The City Bank and American Express are the title sponsors of the event.
Hasan Mansur, president of Toab, presided over the opening ceremony, while Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir, chief executive of Bangladesh Tourism Board, and Nazmul Karim Chowdhury, vice president of The City Bank, also spoke.
Sarath K Weragoda, high commissioner of Sri Lanka; Bahnarim Abu Guinomla, ambassador of the Philippines; and Norlin Binti Othman, high commissioner of Malaysian, were also present.