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The government is preparing a 20-year roadmap to develop Bangladesh’s tourism sector, with a new Tourism Master Plan, an updated national policy, 1,498 identified attractions and a pipeline of development projects aimed at turning scattered tourism resources into a more organised industry.
Officials said the Tourism Master Plan is expected to be finalised by October and may be presented for approval in November. It will provide a long-term framework for destination development, investment, infrastructure, promotion and coordination among agencies.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat recently said the 1,498 attractions include natural, cultural, historical and religious destinations. The government wants to bring these resources under a planned and sustainable tourism development framework.
Policy reform alongside master plan
Alongside the master plan, the government is updating the National Tourism Policy 2010 and preparing the National Tourism Policy 2026.
Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruqui, chief executive officer of the Bangladesh Tourism Board, said the new policy would emphasise sustainable and regenerative tourism, private investment, public-private partnerships, technology and stronger international promotion. It would also support community-based and cultural tourism and the use of artificial intelligence and smart technologies in hospitality services, he said.
The authorities are preparing community-based tourism guidelines to encourage local participation and ensure communities benefit from tourism development.
Projects to turn plans into action
The Bangladesh Tourism Board has submitted 20 project proposals for inclusion in the 2026-27 Annual Development Programme, with an estimated combined cost of about Tk909 crore.
The proposals cover ecotourism, heritage and historical tourism, blue tourism, tea tourism and cultural attractions. Potential destinations include Tanguar Haor, Nikli Haor and national parks; Old Dhaka, Manikganj, Sompur Mahavihara and Bogura; and coastal areas of Barishal, Patuakhali, Bhola, Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat.
They also include improved facilities at Kuakata, Patenga and Anwara beaches, along with homestays, lifeguard services, a national tourism hotline, capacity building and a national tourism database.
Separately, the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation has proposed 60 development projects worth nearly Tk19,000 crore, selected from the 1,498 identified attractions.
Parjatan Corporation Chairman Md Shamimuzzaman said successful implementation could significantly increase tourism’s contribution to the economy.
“If the proposed projects are implemented, the tourism sector could contribute 8 to 10% to the national economy,” he said.
He said the number of tourism workers, currently around 24 lakh, could potentially double, while expansion of the sector could also strengthen the rural economy by creating opportunities outside major cities.
Infrastructure remains key
Tourism experts, however, say identifying attractions and preparing plans will not be enough without adequate infrastructure.
Nusrat Jahan, associate professor at the University of Dhaka’s Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, told the Daily Sun that inadequate infrastructure remains a major barrier despite Bangladesh’s substantial tourism potential.
“Tourism can generate significant income and employment, particularly through domestic tourism. But we are still unable to fully utilise its potential,” she said.
She pointed to roads, food services, sanitation, accommodation and other basic facilities as important factors in attracting visitors to less-developed destinations.
“We have many beautiful destinations, but in many cases people cannot reach them easily or do not find adequate facilities after getting there. As a result, many potential destinations remain unexplored,” she said.
She also stressed university and researcher involvement in tourism planning and data collection, along with stronger coordination among government agencies, academia, private operators, destination managers and local communities.
Focus on markets and promotion
The private sector wants the master plan to be followed by clear market strategies and investment.
Md Masud Hossain, managing director of The Bengal Tours Ltd, told the Daily Sun that a Master Plan alone would not be enough to transform the sector.
“The government needs to identify tourism products, develop them to international standards, identify target markets and promote those products in the right countries,” he said.
He called for stronger international promotion through roadshows, tourism fairs and Bangladesh’s embassies and high commissions in important source markets.
“For inbound tourism, promotion is one of the biggest gaps. What tourists need is more information and stronger promotion of the destination,” he said.
He also stressed tourism research, market analysis, product development and adequate funding.
Building a data-based tourism sector
The government is also working to address the lack of comprehensive and regular tourism data.
Md Mazharul Islam, deputy director (Statistics, Research & Planning) of the Bangladesh Tourism Board, said the Board is working with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics to prepare a Tourism Satellite Account in line with UN Tourism standards.
The account is expected to measure tourism’s contribution to GDP and provide information on domestic tourism, including tourist numbers, movement and expenditure.
“If we can update this information regularly, we can gradually move towards a real-time tourism database,” Mazharul told the Daily Sun.
He said tourism covers business, leisure, medical, sports, religious and visiting-friends-and-relatives segments. Properly recording these categories would provide a clearer picture of the sector, he added.
Making services more tourist-friendly
The Tourism Board is also working with immigration authorities to improve services for international visitors.
Mazharul said the two sides recently organised a two-day tourism orientation programme together for the first time to make immigration services smoother and more tourist-friendly.
The authorities are also seeking stronger coordination to obtain more complete and timely immigration-related data, he added.