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Tourism growth hinges on private sector: minister

Faruk Khan speaks at a roundtable to mark World Tourism Day

Star Business Report
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan yesterday urged the private sector to come forward to develop the tourism industry and make Bangladesh a popular tourism destination.
"The tourism industry can flourish through the private sector, not the government. The government will only provide policy support,” he said.
Khan spoke at a roundtable on "Tourism and sustainable energy: powering sustainable development”, organised by Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) as part of World Tourism Day that was celebrated in Bangladesh yesterday, along with the rest of the world.
He said the government will set up a 60MW wind power project with 30 wind turbines on a pilot basis in Cox's Bazar soon. "Each of the turbines will be capable to produce 2MW power.”
The energy ministry will place a proposal at the cabinet to this effect soon, Khan said.
The government has withdrawn taxes on solar equipment to encourage entrepreneurs to set up eco-ffiendly resorts, and also arranged green funding facilities through banks.
"How many of your [private sector] resorts are eco-friendly, and how many of you took the facilities?”
Requesting the private sector to set up eco-friendly resorts, he said the government will award them who will establish eco-friendly resorts. The minister said a government committee is working to modernise the present tourism law.
The government does not need to invest in the tourism sector, said Hasan Mansur, president of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh.
“The private sector will invest
wherever it needs — in infrastructure or in energy," Mansur said.
Financing will be a problem, but it can be solved easily if the government cuts interest rates for loans to the sector, he said.
Infrastructure is one of the major problems for flourishing the tourism industry, speakers said, adding that the government should highly concentrate on infrastructure development, especially communication services.
This year's theme aims at highlighting tourism's role in a brighter energy future where the world's entire population enjoys access to modern, efficient and affordable energy services, said Kazi Wahidul Alam, editor of the Bangladesh Monitor, a fortnightly magazine, while presenting a keynote paper.
Alam said the tourism economy represents 5 percent of the world GDP, while it contributes 6-
7 percent of total employment.
Tourism is one of the top five export earners in over 150 countries and the number one export earner in 60 countries, he said. “It is the main source of foreign exchange to one-third of the developing countries and half of the least developing countries.”
Around 980 million people travelled internationally in 2011, a 4 percent increase over 2010, and this is expected to reach 1.5 billion by2020, he said.
Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir, chief executive officer of BTB, moderated the roundtable.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh Tourism Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, awarded 10 organisations and four individuals, for their contributions to the tourism and hospitality sector. The awards were given in 14 categories at Fars Hotel and Resort in Dhaka to mark World Tourism Day.