Forty years has elapsed of Bangladesh's tourism industry, yet we still see it in a nascent position in comparison to our neighbouring countries. Despite having all the potential to flourish , tourism in this country has been growing at a very slow pace. Bangladesh is not known as a tourism in this country has been growing at a very slow pace. Bangladesh is not known as a tourist destination in the international tourism market. Only 3 lacs foreign tourists came to Bangladesh in 2010 , of which more than 70 percent came for business and official from tourism to the country's GDP is less than 1 percent. The sector got recognition as an industry in 1999. But it never recognition as an industry in 1999. But it never received attention from the government to become a vibrant industry. Whereas many countries which started much later than Bangladesh, for example- Maldives, Malaysia , Vietnam , Cambodia , Laos PDR- have developed their tourism industry much faste than this country. In 1998 Bangladesh received 171,961 tourists and Cambodia received only 96,000 tourists. After 11 years in 2009, Bangladesh could attract only 267,000 tourists and Cambodia more than 2 million tourists. This comparison indicates discrepancy in the degree of initiative by two different countries within a same span of time.
The lack of development of the tourism industry of Bangladesh can be attributed to multiple reasons like less -prioritisation of tourism by all previous governments, lack of tourism by all previous governments, lack of budgetary allocation and scarcity of trained people in the industry. There is also a lack of publicity and marketing activities. We leg behind in projecting our attractions to international tourists through advertisements in international print and electronic media, as our neighobouring countries do. We have to do this for enhancing the positive image of our country and for introducing our prime tourist attractions as well as our vibrant culture. But , there is a lack of sufficient budgetary allocation. We need to develop an effective brand name for tourism.
We have never tried to understand that branding not only helps tourism of the country, it encourages foreign investment as well. A tourism branding campaign called 'Beautiful Bangladesh' has been developed, but according to the tourism stakeholders of the country it does not wholly reflect the tourist attractions of the country.
The lack of development of the tourism industry of Bangladesh can be attributed to multiple reasons like less -prioritisation of tourism by all previous governments, lack of tourism by all previous governments, lack of budgetary allocation and scarcity of trained people in the industry. There is also a lack of publicity and marketing activities. We leg behind in projecting our attractions to international tourists through advertisements in international print and electronic media, as our neighobouring countries do. We have to do this for enhancing the positive image of our country and for introducing our prime tourist attractions as well as our vibrant culture. But , there is a lack of sufficient budgetary allocation. We need to develop an effective brand name for tourism.
We have never tried to understand that branding not only helps tourism of the country, it encourages foreign investment as well. A tourism branding campaign called 'Beautiful Bangladesh' has been developed, but according to the tourism stakeholders of the country it does not wholly reflect the tourist attractions of the country.
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