Sohayel mia
Bangladesh Bank published a report on tourism on December 17. It said that due to the closure of India’s visas, Thailand is now the alternative destination for Bangladeshi tourists. As a result, Bangladeshi tourists are taking huge dollars to the country. Which used to go to India until now. This picture was found by analyzing the data on dollar spending in the country and abroad through credit cards.
The report published in the newspaper said that after the political change in the country, there has been a radical change in the use of credit cards by Bangladeshis abroad.
Earlier, Bangladeshis used to use credit cards the most when they went to India. Because every year, numerous Bangladeshis go to India for various purposes including medical shopping and travel. As a result, Bangladeshis used to spend the most on credit cards in India. Now that place has been taken by the United States and Thailand. Bangladeshi spending on credit cards in India has come to number three.
According to the report, the second highest use of Bangladeshi credit cards outside the country is now in Thailand. Bangladeshi spending on credit cards in the country has increased by Tk160 million in a month. In September, Bangladeshis spent Tk 420 million on credit cards in Thailand. In October, this expenditure increased to Tk 570 crore. With that, the country rose to second place in credit card usage by Bangladeshis abroad. Although India was in second place in September as well.
Industry insiders say that before the August change of government, India was one of the top destinations for Bangladeshis for medical treatment and travel. But after the change of government, due to strict visa issuance, Bangladeshi travel to the country has decreased significantly. As a result, Bangladeshi credit card usage in the country has also decreased. Instead, Bangladeshis are choosing Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore for medical treatment and travel. Tourism is the crown jewel of the economy. Not only countries of the world, but even small countries in the region like Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal are making an important contribution to the national economy by establishing tourism as an industry.
We also had such an opportunity. Although the tourist centers located in different parts of the country, full of immense natural beauty, have awakened that potential, in practice, our achievements in this field are not as expected. Although the country’s tourism industry directly affects 109 industries. A survey has revealed that the tourism industry creates one job every two and a half seconds. With the arrival of one tourist, 11 people are directly employed in the service sector. Another 33 people get jobs indirectly. That is, with the arrival of one lakh tourists, 1.1 million jobs are added. But due to mismanagement and lack of reforms, the tourism industry of Bangladesh has not improved as expected.
Experts say that due to under developed infrastructure, failure to transform tourist spots into world-class ones, unplanned development in areas adjacent to the spots, lack of additional attractions, lack of cultural events, political influence in management, lack of adequate security and above all, lack of government oversight, the desired development of tourism in this region is not happening. However, if attention can be paid to these areas, the spots in the Chittagong region can increase the income of the country’s tourism sector several times.
According to experts, despite the huge potential, we are still far behind in the tourism industry due to the lack of a proper action plan. A proper and integrated plan is needed for the development of this industry. Along with the development of this industry, we need to pay special attention to creating professional and skilled human resources. If implemented through a proper action plan, the tourism industry can play one of the key roles in the economic and social development of Bangladesh.
Sohayel mia, Ex- president of Jagannath University journalist Association.
