Bangladesh today celebrated World Tourism Day with colourful programmes as the government outlined a holistic approach to develop tourism into a major economic engine alongside the country’s two traditional pillars—RMG exports and remittance.

A colourful rally from Parjatan Bhaban at Agargaon in the capital set the tone for the day, bringing together tourism stakeholders and representatives of organisations associated with the sector to highlight Bangladesh’s diverse attractions and the economic potential of tourism.

The festive rally was followed by a bicycle procession, adding colour and visibility to the celebration as Bangladesh joined the global observance of World Tourism Day.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) also arranged a guided city tour for underprivileged children, offering them an opportunity to explore tourist attractions in the capital and experience tourism firsthand.

The programmes marked the beginning of a week-long celebration that will continue until October 3, combining public engagement with policy discussions, stakeholder consultations, international outreach, technology and cultural showcases.

After the rally, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Abul Kalam Azad Siddiqui said the government is giving importance to tourism as a potential major economic sector as Bangladesh seeks to diversify its sources of growth beyond its traditional economic strengths.

“The government’s approach envisages tourism becoming an important economic engine after the ready-made garment (RMG) and remittance sectors through coordinated development of infrastructure, destinations, investment, technology, skills and international promotion,” he said. 

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akhter said the present government has adopted a holistic approach, including infrastructure development and digital automation, to develop the tourism industry.

The approach comes as policymakers increasingly seek to reposition tourism from primarily a leisure activity into an economic sector capable of generating employment, attracting investment, earning foreign exchange and supporting rural and regional economies.

This year’s celebration is being held under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” with the programmes placing particular emphasis on the potential of digital transformation and artificial intelligence to reshape tourism services and visitor experiences.

The government plans to make technology an integral part of the future tourism ecosystem, including an integrated digital platform through which travellers could discover destinations and eventually access tourism-related services.

The broader roadmap also envisages digital interpretation at destinations, a real-time tourism dashboard and greater use of technology in destination marketing, visitor services and tourism management.

Fahmida said reliable data would be equally important for future policy and investment decisions.

The ministry has already initiated work on a Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) to address the longstanding shortage of comprehensive information on the tourism economy.

At the centre of the transformation drive is the long-awaited Tourism Master Plan covering around 1,498 identified tourist attractions across the country.

Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) Chief Executive Officer Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruqui said the board is working to finalise the plan by December this year.

“The integrated plan is expected to provide a framework for planned, environment-friendly and sustainable development of destinations ranging from beaches, forests, hills and wetlands to archaeological sites, villages, cuisine and cultural heritage,” he said. 

BPC Chairman Md Shamimuzzaman said the government has taken initiatives to facilitate private-sector participation in developing the country’s tourism and leisure industry.

BPC has already prioritised 60 development projects involving an estimated Tk 19,000 crore and submitted them to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

According to BPC estimates, implementation of the projects could eventually help increase tourism’s contribution to the national economy to 8-10 percent and potentially double employment from the current estimate of around 2.4 million.

The projects are also expected to spread tourism-generated economic activity beyond established destinations and create opportunities for rural communities and local entrepreneurs.

Today’s rally and other public programmes are only the opening phase of the World Tourism Day celebration.

BTB will hold a meeting with tourism stakeholders on September 28 to discuss the industry’s development and identify ways to strengthen cooperation among different players.

Diplomats from countries considered important source markets for tourists will join a separate meeting on September 30, where discussions will focus on cooperation and ways to encourage more foreign visitors to Bangladesh.

The week-long celebration will culminate on October 3 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

Twelve thematic stalls will showcase Bangladeshi cuisine, geographical indication products, crafts, textiles, cultural heritage and tourism destinations.

Artificial intelligence will also be used to offer virtual destination experiences, demonstrating how emerging technology could help potential travellers explore Bangladesh before physically visiting destinations.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat is scheduled to attend a seminar on the theme as the chief guest, while Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akhter will chair the session.

The concluding ceremony will also mark the introduction of the Bangladesh Tourism Award, with BTB presenting awards in 13 categories recognising contributions to sustainable tourism, innovation, service quality, digital transformation, community participation and heritage preservation.

A cultural performance will follow the discussion.