World Tourism Day Sunday: Week of events in BD to boost sector

Coxs Bazar Sea Beach has become the main attraction of tourists in Bangladesh.

Dhaka, Sept 27 – Bangladesh is set to observe the World Tourism Day 2026 under the theme "Tomorrow's Tourism through Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence," in the country as elsewhere across the globe on Sunday.

The Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry has chalked out a week-long programme from September 27 to October 3 to mark the World Tourism Day.

The activities include a colourful rally, a cycle rally, a guided city tour for underprivileged children, exchange meetings with tourism stakeholders and foreign diplomats, and exhibitions and discussion sessions.

A colourful rally involving public and private tourism stakeholders will be held on September 27, showcasing rural Bengal's traditional lifestyle, the heritage of ethnic communities, and Dhaka's cultural legacy. A cycle rally will also be held the same day at 9:30 am.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in a message said tourism is not merely an opportunity or a means for recreation; it is an important means of generating employment, earning foreign exchange, developing the local economy, and showcasing the country’s history, heritage, culture and natural beauty to the world.

“Therefore, developing Bangladesh's tourism industry into a modern, technology-driven, environmentally friendly and world-class industry is one of the key priorities of our development planning,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said the election manifesto of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has pledged to develop tourism as a modern and land-efficient service sector.

To achieve this objective, the government is currently implementing various commitments, with particular emphasis on formulating a National Tourism Master Plan, modernising the necessary laws and policies, and undertaking structural reforms in tourism management, he said.

“As part of these initiatives, more than 30 tourism clusters are being developed across the country, highlighting Bangladesh's history, culture and heritage. At the same time, community, eco, rural, culinary, river and coastal tourism are being promoted to integrate local communities into the tourism economy,” he added.

The Prime Minister said programmes are underway to develop modern hotels, recreational facilities and tourist attractions through public-private partnerships. Policy support and access to financing on easier terms have also been enhanced for small and medium-scale tourism enterprises and new tourism start-ups, he said.

“For the expansion of international tourism, there is a target to develop an extensive national air connectivity network by 2034, with the aim of transforming Bangladesh into an important aviation hub in South and Southeast Asia,” he went on.

Tarique Rahman said improved connectivity will make travel to and from Bangladesh easier for international tourists. Optimum utilisation of limited land resources is being ensured through the expansion of high-value-added hotels, restaurants, entertainment centres and other less land-intensive service sectors, he said.

“We hope that, once these initiatives are successfully implemented, the tourism industry will make a significant contribution to achieving the national goal of building a USD 1 trillion economy by 2034. At the same time, digital connectivity will open up new opportunities for women, young people and small entrepreneurs,” he said.

The Prime Minister extended his sincere greetings and felicitations to all individuals and institutions associated with the tourism industry, tourism professionals and entrepreneurs, investors, domestic and international tourists, and tourism enthusiasts across the country.

As part of the week-long programmes chalked out to mark the World Tourism Day, an exchange meeting with tourism stakeholders will be held on September 28, while a similar meeting with foreign diplomats based in Bangladesh will take place on September 30, aimed at promoting the country's tourism potential, attracting more foreign tourists, and fostering mutual cooperation.

The main event of World Tourism Day will be held on October 3 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Convention Centre in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, featuring 12 themed exhibition stalls highlighting the country's traditional culture, cuisine, Geographical Indication (GI) products, craft souvenirs, handloom and textiles, ethnic heritage, tourist destinations, and rural Bengali lifestyle.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akhtar, at a press conference in the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Bhaban on Saturday, said Bangladesh has set a target to more than double the tourism sector's contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), lifting it from the current 2-3 percent to 7 percent by integrating the sector more firmly with the mainstream economy.

She said a satellite account is being developed to assess the sector's real contribution and potential, which will provide a complete picture of tourism-related economic activities, including employment generation, the number of domestic and foreign tourists, inbound and outbound tourism, and preferred destinations.

Based on this data, the National Tourism Master Plan is being updated in line with the government's strategic development plan, with the work expected to be completed by December, said the Secretary. - UNB