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

DO: What, then, is the most effective tourism product for Bangladesh?
Taufiq Rahman: Bangladesh’s greatest tourism product is its people and their diverse ways of life.
There is now a great deal of discussion about ecotourism, sustainable tourism, responsible tourism and community-based tourism. At the heart of all these forms of tourism are people and their lifestyles.

Suppose a tourist visits Kantajew Temple. They may be fascinated by its terracotta artwork. But if we take them to a nearby primary school, they may find the experience even more rewarding. They may want to interact with the children.

If they see a woman cooking on a traditional clay stove at a nearby home, they may want to stand beside her and take a photograph.

Walking along village roads, watching farmers sow rice or harvest crops, observing how rural people live and seeing how they prepare food-these are all highly attractive experiences for international visitors.
So whether we pursue community-based tourism, agrotourism, rural tourism or village tourism, the central focus should be on showcasing Bangladesh’s people and their way of life.

DO: Do the experiences of foreign tourists support your observation?
Taufiq Rahman: Absolutely. Before our guests leave Bangladesh, we provide them with feedback forms. One of the questions asks what they expected before coming to Bangladesh and how their experience compared after visiting the country.

Before arriving, many visitors mention negative perceptions related to Bangladesh’s political problems, roads and other issues. But after travelling around the country, the one thing almost all of them praise is the people of Bangladesh. They describe them as ‘people of Bangladesh’, ‘smiling people’ and ‘hospitable people’.

One Malaysian tourist wrote that before coming to Bangladesh, apart from experiencing the culture, they had not expected much from the trip. But after visiting, they were impressed by the country’s beauty, culture and hospitality. The tourist described Bangladesh as an ‘underrated country’ for travellers. A Polish tourist wrote that Bangladesh has excellent food, very friendly people, monuments and natural beauty. Another visitor specifically mentioned the Sundarbans and local people. These experiences clearly demonstrate that Bangladesh’s greatest strength in the eyes of foreign tourists is its people.

DO: How can local communities be integrated into tourism?
Taufiq Rahman: Local communities living around tourism destinations need to be trained, and they must understand that the arrival of tourists can create direct economic opportunities for them. Some can establish restaurants, while others can open souvenir or gift shops. Educated young people from rural communities can be trained to work as local guides.

Suppose a young person from Paharpur guides tourists for an hour and receives Tk 500 or Tk 1,000. The guide can show visitors not only the archaeological site but also nearby villages, local lifestyles and cultural practices.

The tourist gets a distinctive experience, while the young guide earns an income. That is the essence of community-based tourism.

DO: What responsibilities should different stakeholders have in promoting responsible tourism?
Taufiq Rahman: Every stakeholder has a role to play in responsible tourism.
Tourists have a responsibility not to damage the environment or litter. The host community must treat visitors well and ensure their safety and provide necessary assistance. The government, meanwhile, must ensure adequate security, infrastructure and essential services.

In other words, sustainable tourism is impossible without the coordinated participation of tourists, local communities and the government.

DO: A large number of tourism spots have already been identified in Bangladesh. What should be done under a short-term strategy?
Taufiq Rahman: Identifying a large number of tourism spots is a good thing and is necessary for research. But if we are working with a one- or two-year plan, it is not possible to develop all 1,498 sites simultaneously.

We should initially select five, or at most 10, tourism products. These could include Sreemangal, the Sundarbans, Paharpur or a specific area of Cox’s Bazar.

Over the next one or two years, these five to 10 destinations should be developed as models in terms of infrastructure, services, local community participation and tourism management. We should actively take foreign tourists to these destinations.
Once these models succeed, another five or 10 destinations can be developed in the same manner.

DO: What role should the private sector play alongside the government in developing tourism infrastructure?
Taufiq Rahman: The government’s responsibility is to provide the necessary infrastructure-roads, gas, electricity, Wi-Fi and other basic facilities. After that, the private sector should be given opportunities to invest.

The government can essentially say, ‘I am providing you with land, electricity, other infrastructure and the necessary policy support; now you invest here.’

Then private investors can build hotels, resorts, shopping malls, entertainment centres or cineplexes.

The government should focus on planning and essential infrastructure, while the private sector should develop the superstructure and make commercial investments. Local communities must also be involved in this process.

DO: What kind of changes are needed in the structure of the Bangladesh Tourism Board?
Taufiq Rahman: If we look at tourism boards in different countries, we see that they place considerable importance on private-sector representation and professional leadership.

Sri Lanka’s tourism board, for example, has a five-member board with significant private-sector representation. Nepal also involves the private sector and has professional leadership at the executive level.

In Bangladesh, the 17-member board has a larger number of government representatives, while private-sector representation is comparatively limited.

Tourism is a specialised field. Simply appointing an official from the agriculture, power or another ministry does not make that person a tourism expert.

Tourism combines science, management and creativity. Many countries offer bachelor’s, master’s and even PhD programmes in tourism. Therefore, more experienced and professional tourism specialists should be brought into the Tourism Board.

DO: What is your most important advice to the government?
Taufiq Rahman: My first recommendation is to review and reactivate the tourism master plan that has already been prepared, bringing it in line with current realities. If necessary, it should incorporate new information, new tourism destinations, newly developed hotels, new transport systems and changes in market conditions.

Second, the plan should be approved and implemented through a high-level mechanism such as a National Tourism Council. Adequate funding must also be allocated for areas selected for tourism development.

Third, we need to clarify our understanding of tourism. We must move away from the notion that tourism necessarily means bars, nightclubs, discos or casinos. These may be components of tourism in some destinations, but they are not essential for every tourist.

Most importantly, we must first identify our target markets-which countries the tourists will come from, their age groups and their interests. Tourism products should then be developed and marketed accordingly.

For Bangladesh, our greatest strengths are our people, culture, nature and the diversity of our way of life. If we want to attract more foreign tourists, these are the strengths we must showcase strategically and effectively.