Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam called for coordinated efforts from travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality sectors to elevate Bangladesh’s tourism industry to international standards.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of the Travel and Tourism Development Center at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka on Saturday, the minister said the government is working under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s direction to bring the tourism sector up to international standards.
“The current contribution of the tourism sector to GDP is about 3 per cent. The government wants to raise this contribution to 6 to 7 per cent,” she said.
Afroza Khanam said no significant development had taken place in the tourism sector over the past 17 years, and the current government is taking necessary initiatives to utilise the sector’s potential.
She called on private sector stakeholders to play an effective role in sustainable development of the tourism sector, adding that the government was ready to provide policy supports.
“I hope that with the cooperation and collective efforts of all stakeholders, Bangladesh can be established as an international tourist destination,” the minister said.
Leaders from various tiers of the tourism sector, stakeholders and invited guests attended the event.
