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World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on September 27. This day is celebrated around the world to raise awareness about the social, cultural, political and economic importance of tourism. It has been celebrated in all member countries since 1980 under the direct supervision of the World Tourism Organization under the United Nations. The main objective of the day is to build bridges with the international community and tourism destinations. In addition, one of the goals of this day is to spread the social, cultural, political and economic benefits of tourism worldwide, including raising public awareness about the role of tourism. The theme of World Tourism Day 2025 is "Tourism and Sustainable Transformation", which highlights the importance of investing in sustainable tourism infrastructure and projects, so that the environment is preserved and local communities and economies prosper. In short, the theme of World Tourism Day 2025 shows a new path in making tourism beneficial to the environment and society, which is essential for a healthy and beautiful future. The ruling Advisory Council in Bangladesh has approved the proposal to celebrate World Tourism Day on 27 September every year as a 'B' category day instead of 'C' category.
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is considered a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Madrid, Spain. The organisation conducts world tourism ranking. According to the 2023 report of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), Bangladesh ranks 109th out of 119 economies, which is the last in the Asia-Pacific region. Any specific ranking has not been published for 2024 and 2025, but according to the World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals are expected to grow by 5% in 2025.
We can find out the top tourist spots in Bangladesh with a brief description -- Natural beauty centres.
COX'S BAZAR - Very popular with tourists, it is known as the world's longest continuous natural sandy sea beach and the tourism capital of Bangladesh.
SUNDARBANS - The world's largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
SAJEK VALLEY - Located in Baghaichhari Upazila of Rangamati, this place is famous for its mountains, clouds and natural beauty.
ST. MARTIN'S - The only coral island in Bangladesh, where clear blue waters and coral reefs can be seen.
KUAKATA - It is one of the most beautiful beaches, where both sunrise and sunset can be enjoyed.
JAFLONG and BICHANAKANDI in SYLHET - Known for their unique beauty created by alluvial soil and stones.
TANGUAR HAOR - A vast haor area in Sunamganj district, which is picturesque.
Centre of heritage and culture
SOMPUR MAHAVIHAR - This Buddhist monastery in Paharpur is an important archaeological site in Bangladesh.
SHAT GOMBUJ MOSQUE - Located in Bagerhat, it is a historical mosque and one of the most important historical sites in Bangladesh.
Ahsan Manzil - Located on the bank of the Buriganga River in Dhaka, it is a historical palace and museum.
LALBAGH FORT - An ancient Mughal fort in Dhaka.
PANAM NAGAR - An abandoned colonial city in Narayanganj.
Most of the world's famous people and poets and writers were thirsty for travel. Here are some of their valuable quotes about travel:
"Travel will first make you speechless, then it will make you tell stories." - Ibn Battuta.
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." - St. Augustine.
"With age comes wisdom, with travel comes understanding." Rabindranath Tagore said about tourism, "To travel the world is to know life."
"Seeing one city is like reading ten books" - Sitaangshu Shekhar Basu.
The importance of traveling in our lives is immense. Travel opens up new horizons in our lives. It helps in building our character and enriches our lives. New places, new people, new experiences are the best assets of our lives and the knowledge that can be gained through this cannot be found in any book. Travel changes our thinking and helps in increasing our confidence. Travel creates a new perspective on life and helps in finding a new purpose for living. Traveling alone or in a group makes people more self-reliant and self-reliant. Mixing with new people increases communication and language skills. Traveling allows us to learn new things and gain an understanding of different places and cultures of the world. Experiencing new places and cultures enhances people's creativity. Physical activity increases during travel, which helps in keeping the body fresh and healthy. By adapting to new environments and facing challenges, people's confidence increases and decision-making ability improves. Traveling relieves stress, anxiety and boredom and makes the mind calm and refreshed.
I am sharing with everyone the knowledge I have gained about the tourism industry of Bangladesh from traveling abroad. My experience with tourists in Bangladesh is not pleasant. The number of real tourists in this country is very low. Because of those I have seen traveling to different countries with non-immigrant or temporary visit visas, 95 per cent of them have mainly traveled to the developed world and traveled to those countries to get visa stickers and seals for a few countries in their passports in order to stay permanently in those countries illegally. Because of this, many people travel to different countries completely unplanned. This wastes billions of taka of Bangladesh every year. Visa seekers also suffer personally. For example, many people travel to three countries in three days to save money. Many people travel to several countries instead of visiting the tourist attractions in their own country and hope for a tourist visa to the developed world. When the visa officer asks which places in Bangladesh they have visited, asks for a description, they fail to answer and their visa is rejected. Some people make a mistake in one country after traveling to several countries, then the seal is stuck on their passport. And the chances of getting a tourist visa to the next expected country are greatly reduced. Many people violate the code of conduct by taking a visa as a tourist in one country. Some people get involved in criminal activities in different countries, which later has a negative impact on all Bangladeshi visa seekers. After all, most visa seekers are deprived of visas due to the low passport rating of Bangladesh. On the other hand, the Bangladesh High Commission/Consulate commits various irregularities including delay in issuing visas to foreign tourists in almost all countries.
The main weaknesses in the tourism industry of Bangladesh are - There is a lack of specific plans for the development of the tourism industry and its proper implementation. There is a lack of necessary facilities for tourists, such as improved transportation system, accommodation, and other supporting infrastructure. Lack of coordination among various ministries, organisations, and stakeholders for the development of the tourism sector is a major problem. There is a lack of adequate promotion to showcase Bangladesh at the international level as well as domestic tourists, which makes it difficult to attract foreign tourists. Foreign tourists are discouraged from traveling here as the safety and quality of their hospitality are not improved. There is a lack of an effective tourism policy and its proper management to balance the needs of tourists and the environment. Foreigners feel insecure in Bangladesh due to political and social instability. Due to these reasons, the tourism industry of Bangladesh is constantly facing difficulties. Many countries have been able to present themselves as a model on the world stage through the tourism industry, but Bangladesh has failed in this regard.
Despite being a country of natural beauty, historical monuments, and rich culture, this industry is not able to develop in that way due to the weaknesses. It is necessary to immediately take coordinated and effective steps to remove these obstacles for proper development of the tourism sector.
After all -"Travel is the best investment in life." If you have time and financial means, you can travel with your family.
Dr. Md. Anwar Hossain is an essayist, writer and president of the international anti-drug organisation Freedom International Anti-Alcohol.
eddanwar@gmail.com