Popular travel vlogger and content creator Abu Mohammad Salah Uddin, popularly known as Salahuddin Sumon, has received the Bangladesh Tourism Award 2026 in recognition of his contribution to promoting the country’s tourism sector.
He was named Tourism Content Creator of the Year by the Bangladesh Tourism Board.
The award was handed over to him at a ceremony held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, on Saturday.
Salahuddin Sumon has travelled to some of the world’s most remote destinations, including Antarctica, the Arctic and the Amazon, producing travel content for Bangladeshi audiences. At the same time, he has regularly highlighted Bangladesh’s history, heritage, lesser-known landscapes, archaeological sites and rural life through his videos.
Speaking at the ceremony, M Rashiduzzaman Millat, MP, Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, said the government was ready to work with private-sector stakeholders to develop the country’s tourism destinations through public-private partnerships and leasing arrangements.
“Of the 1,498 spots we have, I would like to tell all the stakeholders that if you come forward, our ministry is ready. Wherever you seek a PPP model or leasing arrangement, we are prepared to discuss and facilitate it,” he said.
Abul Kalam Azad Siddiqui, MP, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, said the development of the tourism sector required coordinated participation from the government, private sector and young entrepreneurs.
“We have strengthened oversight of infrastructure development and service quality in the sector from the standing committee,” he said.
In his welcome address, Mutasim Billah Faruqui, Chief Executive Officer of the Bangladesh Tourism Board, said the board was working to take Bangladesh’s tourism sector to new heights and showcase the country’s culture and natural beauty on the global stage.
He said the Bangladesh Tourism Award 2026 was organised to recognise and encourage entrepreneurs, innovators and content creators working in the tourism sector.
Greetings were also delivered through video messages by Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, and Noh Ahmad Hamid, Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
Md Shamimuzzaman, Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the chief of Tourist Police and other senior officials and stakeholders from the travel and tourism industry also attended the event.
The programme was chaired by Fahmida Akter, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
Expressing his feelings after receiving the award, Salahuddin said the recognition from the Bangladesh Tourism Board was particularly meaningful to him.
“The Bangladesh Tourism Board is the regulatory body of the country’s tourism sector. Receiving recognition from such a state institution is certainly a matter of joy and pride for a creator. I am truly happy to receive this recognition at the national level,” he said.
Speaking about Bangladesh’s tourism potential, Salahuddin said the country’s tourism promotion should move beyond a handful of well-known destinations.
“When we think of popular tourist destinations in Bangladesh, names such as Saint Martin’s Island, Cox’s Bazar and Sajek Valley usually come to mind. But due to various forms of mismanagement, foreign tourists are becoming less interested in some of these destinations,” he said.
“Yet our rural Bangladesh has the potential to bring about a major transformation in the country’s tourism sector. We need proper planning to showcase this beauty to the world.”
He said Bangladesh’s villages offer different landscapes and experiences throughout the year.
“Our villages take on a different character in summer, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring. There is a unique seasonal diversity in rural Bangladesh that deserves greater attention as a tourism product,” he said.
“Our traditional villages already exist in our poetry, literature and films, but they have not received enough attention in our tourism planning. I hope the Tourism Board’s initiative will not remain limited to an awards ceremony and that it will lead to effective measures to showcase Bangladesh on the global tourism stage.”
Salahuddin said Char Khanpur village in Rajshahi, located along the Padma River and surrounded on three sides by India’s border, is one of his personal favourites. He has also been regularly producing content on Bangladesh’s archaeological sites, historic landmarks and folk culture.
The Bangladesh Tourism Award 2026 was organised on the occasion of World Tourism Day to recognise contributions to sustainable tourism development, service quality, innovation, digital transformation, community participation, and the conservation of the country’s environment and cultural heritage.
Following scrutiny and evaluation by a jury comprising representatives from the public and private sectors, awards were presented in 16 categories to individuals, organisations and initiatives for their contributions to the tourism industry.
Besides Salahuddin Sumon, Shakawath’s Six Control Point for Food Cost was recognised as the Tourism Sustainability Initiative of the Year, while InterContinental Dhaka received the award for Five-Star Hotel of the Year. Tourism journalist Naeem Ul Islam was also recognised for his contribution to tourism journalism.
