The archaeological sites and other tourist spots need to be developed further to attract more local and international tourists, analysts said.
Many tourist sites in Bangladesh cannot attract international tourists because of weak infrastructure, for which both the public and private sectors need to work together, said Mokhlesur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Tourism Foundation.
Many places in the country such as sea beach, mosques, temples, museums, forests, islands, hills, landmarks and fountains have immense tourism potential, he said.
“We should also focus on ensuring security and safety at the tourist spots with the help of the local community.”
A lack of promotion and branding is another factor that is holding the tourism industry back, Rahman said.
Many hotels in Cox's Bazar who claim to have the four or five-star status do not have proper restaurants or bars to serve foreign tourists, said Taufiq Rahman, president of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh.
Hotel owners should develop these facilities to attract more foreign tourists, he said.
There is no resort in the Sundarbans for tourists for overnight stay, Taufiq said, adding that the country also does not have enough professional tour guides and translators.
The Asian Development Bank is providing $12 million to Bangladesh to help develop four archaeological sites under the South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development project, said Sayed Mahmud Faruque Hasan, community tourism specialist of the project in Bangladesh.
The sites are: Bagerhat Mosque Complex, Paharpur Mahavira, Mahasthangarh and Kantaji temple, Hasan said.
The $89.5 million project aims to develop tourism-related infrastructure in Nepal, India and Bangladesh, he said.
The project to be completed in 2016 will spend $15.65 million in Bangladesh, of which the government will provide $3.65 million and the ADB the rest.
The prime objectives of the project are developing infrastructure and services for tourists, creating awareness and service capacities of local communities and marketing, he said.
Source: The Daily Star
