Govt targets 10% GDP contribution from tourism

The government aims to raise tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) from roughly 3% to 10% over the long term, focusing on youth job creation through skills development and stronger ties between educational institutions and the industry.

Speaking at a tourism employment programme in Dhaka on Thursday, officials said the initial goal is to bring the sector’s GDP share to 7% before scaling it to 10% as the economy approaches the $1 trillion mark. 

While Bangladesh holds strong potential to turn tourism into a major economic driver, growth remains hindered by skilled labour shortages, inadequate infrastructure, and weak coordination between schools and employers.

Nurun Nahar Chowdhury, secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, noted that the country could unlock greater economic returns by better leveraging its natural, historical, and cultural sites.

However, she stressed that scenic and cultural attractions alone cannot sustain a thriving industry. Quality service, safety, adequate facilities, and professional management are equally vital to drawing visitors, encouraging repeat trips, and generating positive word-of-mouth promotion internationally.

Citing Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and India as regional benchmarks, Chowdhury said Bangladesh must invest in upgraded infrastructure, supportive policies, and a trained workforce to realise its tourism potential.

Mutasim Billah Faruqui, chief executive officer of the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB), said tourism currently accounted for around 3% of Bangladesh’s GDP, compared with a global average of nearly 10%.

In some countries, the sector contributes 40% to 50% of GDP, highlighting the opportunities Bangladesh could explore, he said.

“Tourism has enormous potential, but there is no alternative to developing skills for the growth and expansion of this sector,” Faruqui said.

He stressed the need for skilled, professional and innovative workers, alongside improvements in infrastructure, service standards and destination management.

Stronger coordination among government agencies, educational institutions and private-sector operators was also essential to accelerate the sector’s growth, he added.

Faruqui said the BTB was working to promote Bangladesh internationally, strengthen ties with global tourism operators and attract foreign investment. However, the country needed trained professionals to benefit from greater international connectivity and cooperation.

Alexius Chicham, national programme officer of the International Labour Organization (ILO), said the initiative could help students transition from education to employment by connecting them directly with employers.

He said a gap persisted between the skills graduates acquired through formal education and the practical abilities employers required.

Communication skills, a positive attitude, willingness to learn and the ability to work in a professional environment were particularly important in tourism and hospitality, he added.

Chicham said the ILO was also working to promote decent employment, safe working conditions, social protection and gender-responsive workplaces.

The remarks came at a programme titled “Unlocking Careers and Employment Opportunities for Tourism and Hospitality Management (THM) Students/Graduates in Tourism Industry”, organised by the BTB in partnership with the ILO under its ProGRESS project at Hotel InterContinental Dhaka.

The event brought together students, graduates, university teachers, tourism professionals and employers to discuss career opportunities and the skills required by the industry.

Industry representatives highlighted employment opportunities in hotel management, sales and marketing, food and beverage services, front-desk operations, housekeeping, tour operations, tour guiding, ticketing and reservations, aviation, travel agencies, event management and tourism entrepreneurship.

Speakers included Saiful Alam of Hotel InterContinental Dhaka, Masud Hossain of The Bengal Tours, Md Shaifullar Rabbi of Sabre Travel Network Bangladesh, Nurani Sharmin Afroze of Autarky Tours, Rakibul Islam of US-Bangla Airlines, Imranul Alam of the E-Tourism Association of Bangladesh and Md Habib Ullah of Hotel Sheraton Dhaka.

The programme also provided opportunities for students and graduates to interact directly with employers and submit their CVs.

Students and academic representatives from 15 public and private universities were expected to participate, while graduates could submit their CVs to prospective employers either in person or online.

Md Mazharul Islam, deputy director (Statistics, Research and Planning) of the BTB, moderated the programme.

The initiative is part of an implementation agreement between the BTB and the ILO under the Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise Development and TVET Systems (ProGRESS) project, which aims to strengthen skills development, enterprise growth and access to decent employment.