Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid  Hossain on Monday laid special emphasis on simplifying the visa procedure for foreign tourists as part of a broader strategy to enhance the country's tourism sector. 

“The key is to ease the visa system and make it fully online. Waiving visa fees would further attract more foreign tourists in Bangladesh,” he said. 

The foreign adviser was speaking at a seminar on “Tourism for Attaining SDGs: Challenges and Prospects for Bangladesh," organized by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at its auditorium in the capital. 

Touhid emphasized the need for developing an online system that would allow foreigners to easily obtain visas for Bangladesh. “There is lot to do … we need a coordinated effort to advance tourism development,” he added.

The foreign adviser said political will and commitment from the private sector are needed to advance the tourism contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).     

The seminar featured a range of high-level participants, including civil aviation and tourism secretary Nasreen Jahan, who attended it as the special guest. 

BIIS Chairman Ambassador AFM Gousal Azam Sarker chaired the seminar while its Director General Major General Iftekhar Anis delivered the welcome speech. 

In her speech, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasreen Jahan outlined her ministry’s plans to implement short-term, mid-term, and long-term strategies to bolster the tourism industry.

“As an immediate priority, we are focusing on ensuring the safety and security of both domestic and international tourists nationwide,” Jahan stated.

She further announced that a decision has been made to form a committee tasked with identifying the necessary short-term measures to strengthen the sector.

Executive Director of Tourism Research Development Abu Sufian presented the keynote speech, which was followed by panel discussants including BIISS Senior Research Fellow Dr Sufia Khanom, DIG Tourist Police Md Abu Kalam Siddique and FBCI’s Director in Charge Dr Munal Mahbub. 

Panellists and participants underscored Bangladesh’s rich tourism potential, citing its forests, beaches, water bodies, hills, wildlife, indigenous cultures, historical and archaeological sites, cultural heritage, folklore, handicrafts, art, and festivals. 

However, they said, despite recognizing tourism as a key sector for national development, Bangladesh faces significant challenges. 

They identified inadequate infrastructure, security concerns, poor communication networks, lack of sufficient accommodation options such as hotels, motels and lack of proper promotion and marketing as major barriers to sustainable growth.

Addressing these issues, the speakers emphasized the need for innovative and strategic actions. 

They highlighted that infrastructure improvements and environmental protection are essential for transforming tourism into a significant contributor to Bangladesh’s GDP, in line with the nation’s pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Bangladesh government has already taken steps to promote sustainable tourism development by establishing three tourism zones, improving facilities at key tourist sites and implementing various policy measures. 

Nonetheless, the participants said that the sector requires more comprehensive strategies to overcome existing challenges.

To revitalize the tourism sector, the speakers called for a thorough review of public policies and strategic frameworks. 

They highlighted the necessity of government initiatives to address infrastructure gaps, enhance safety measures and develop transportation networks. 

‘These steps are crucial to unlocking the full potential of tourism as a driver of sustainable development in Bangladesh’, they observed. 

They emphasized the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure the long-term growth and sustainability of the tourism industry.

Senior officials from various ministries, diplomatic missions, media, academia, and international organizations shared their ideas and placed a set of recommendations at the seminar.