BD should focus on culture & nature to entice foreign tourists: Taufiq Rahman

Taufiq Rahman, former First Vice-President, Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) and Secretary General, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Bangladesh Chapter in an exclusive interview with The Daily Observer’s Chief Reporter and In Charge of the ‘Tours & Travels’ Mohosinul Karim has made a set of recommendations for the development of the country’s tourism sector. They included coordinated planning, planned infrastructure development, turning individual tourist attractions into complete tourism products and adequate involvement of local communities. (PART-1)


DO: What is your understanding of the current status of the tourism master plan?
Taufiq Rahman: In 2020, the government took an initiative to formulate a comprehensive tourism master plan. The plan was expected to identify where different types of tourism should be developed and what kind of infrastructure would be required in different areas.
After the master plan was prepared, initiatives were taken to review and revise it at various stages. However, its implementation has been delayed for various reasons. As far as I know, even after the new government took office, work has continued to finalise and implement the plan.
We have also learned that the Prime Minister recently gave directions to take tourism infrastructure development and planning towards the final stage. However, we have not been briefed in detail about the exact stage the process has reached within the ministry.

DO: What problems could arise if the master plan is not implemented?
Taufiq Rahman: There is little value in preparing a master plan and simply keeping it on a shelf. It must be implemented. Take Cox’s Bazar, for example. We often do not even have an accurate count of the hotels there. New buildings are being constructed constantly-some six storeys, some nine, and others 12 storeys. The question is how well these developments are being integrated with the overall tourism plan.
Cox’s Bazar is still viewed by many as an unplanned concrete jungle. To change this situation, everything needs to be brought under a comprehensive master plan.

DO: Is a master plan needed only for Cox’s Bazar?
Taufiq Rahman: No. Every major tourism destination needs its own master plan. Besides Cox’s Bazar, destinations such as Rangamati, Bandarban, Sylhet, Sreemangal and Dhaka also need proper planning. The same applies to historical sites such as Paharpur, Mahasthangarh, Kantajew Temple and Puthia.
We need to understand that a tourist attraction and a tourism product are not the same thing. Mahasthangarh, for example, is a tourism attraction or asset. But to turn it into a complete tourism product, there must be quality restaurants, souvenir and gift shops, local guides, transportation, accommodation and other essential services around it.

DO: Do you have any practical experience of involving local communities in tourism?
Taufiq Rahman: Yes. At Paharpur, we took an initiative to use some local homes as homestays and provided training to local residents.
For example, suppose 10 tourists visit Paharpur at lunchtime. A nearby family could be contacted in advance to arrange lunch at their home. The family would prepare the food and receive an agreed payment, while the tourists would sit with the family and enjoy local cuisine.
This creates two benefits at the same time. It provides tourists with a unique experience while generating income for the local family. It also reduces pressure on restaurants. Initiatives like this should be expanded on a much larger scale.

DO: What should be the main focus of Bangladesh’s tourism strategy to attract foreign tourists?
Taufiq Rahman: First and foremost, we need to identify our target market. We need to determine who the consumers of our tourism products are-which countries they will come from, their age groups and their interests.


Based on our nearly 33 years of experience in tourism, we have found that a significant proportion of foreign visitors to Bangladesh are senior citizens or what we call ‘experience travellers’. They are generally between 60 and 80 years old.

Their primary interests are not nightclubs or casinos. They want to experience nature and culture, observe how people live and get a closer look at local communities.

(To be continued..)