World Tourism Day today

The World Tourism Day is being observed in the country today (Monday) like elsewhere in the world focusing the inclusive growth in the global travel and leisure arena.

The government and different organisations have chalked out various programmes, maintaining the health protocols due to the Covid-19 pandemic, to celebrate the day with the global theme 'Tourism for Inclusive Growth'.

To mark the day, Bangladesh Tourism Corporation has organized a cooking show at the Parjatab Bhaban in the city's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day wishing all-out success of the programmes marking the day.

The President, in his message, welcomed the initiative of observing the 'World Tourism Day-2021' in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world. "I think this year's theme of the day 'Tourism for Inclusive Growth' will encourage universal participation in the activities of the tourism industry for economic and social development," he said.

The President Hamid urged all, including government and non-government organizations, to work together for the development of the tourism industry as well as for the national economic development upholding local culture, traditions and values.
 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said tourism is recognized as the most labor intensive and largest service industry in the world today.

“In the current context of Bangladesh, the importance of tourism is essential for the inclusive economic growth of the country including poverty alleviation, massive job creation and improvement of living standards of marginalized people,” she added.

Noting that Bangladesh is a land of scenic natural beauty with rich culture and heritage, the head of the government said it is also rich in flora and fauna, and has numerous rivers, archaeological sites, religious places, hills, forests, waterfalls, tea gardens etc.

“The world's largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans is situated in Bangladesh. The largest unbroken sandy sea beach in the world is also located in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar,” she said.

“Tourism has a huge potentiality in Bangladesh. Of late, it has emerged as an important sector of economic development with more and more domestic and foreign tourists visiting the country's tourists' destinations,” the premier said.