Economic Reporter :
The government and different organisations have chalked out weeklong colourful programmes to celebrate World Tourism Day with the global theme ‘Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development’.
“This year’s World Tourism Day carries an extra significance for the country’s tourism industry as Bangladesh has recently elected as the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) Chair for South Asia,” Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon said while addressing a press conference at Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) here marking the World Tourism Day.
Bangladesh was elected as the chair of South Asian region of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at the 22nd general assembly of UNWTO, the most important global meeting of senior tourism officials in Chengdu of China, on September 11 last.
Besides, Menon said Dhaka is set to host the tourism ministerial meeting of OIC member countries from November 12-14. “All of these recent successes indicate that our tourism industry is advancing on the right track,” the tourism minister said.
Chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) AKhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir and CEO of BTB Dr Md Nasir Uddin and Additional Secretary to Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry M Emran also present at the briefing.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday issued separate messages on the occasion of World Tourism Day to be celebrated across the globe on September 27.
Along with BTB and Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC), different organisations including Aviation and Tourism Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) a platform of journalists covering aviation and tourism affairs will organise series of events in observance of the World Tourism Day.
The Day’s programme will begin with a colourful rally participating by all stakeholders of tourism sector from Matshya Bhaban to TSC of Dhaka University at 8:30 am. The BTB and Dhaka University Tourism Department will hold a seminar on this year’s Theme at 11 am at TSC auditorium.
The main attraction of the day is a daylong colourful festival and musical show, organised by ATJFB with the support of BTB, to be held at Rabindra Sarabor, one of the capital’s popular cultural hubs.
