World Tourism Day today
News Desk : dhakamirror.com
The government is set to withdraw embargo on the visit of foreign tourists to Bangladesh as the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 on Monday recommended doing so if the tourists can show their ‘full vaccine certificates’ on arrival.
Civil aviation and tourism state minister Md Mahbub Ali said this at a press conference organised by the ministry at Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in Agargaon of the capital ahead of the World Tourism Day today.
The previous embargo on the visit of foreign tourists can be revoked once the tourists show their ‘full vaccine certificates’ on arrival and follow ‘existing health guidelines in Bangladesh’, said the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 in a press release issued on the day.
The state minister said that many countries of the world had already lifted restrictions on foreign tourists’ travel to their respective countries and Bangladesh would follow suit.
The restriction was imposed as per the recommendation of the committee in the wake of increased Covid infection in March 2020.
Bangladesh Tourism Board’s chief executive officer Abu Tahir Mohammad Zaber said that over three lakh foreign tourists visited Bangladesh in 2019, but their arrival reduced due to Covid-19 in 2020. He added that the arrival of foreign tourists was increasing nowadays.
Zaber informed the press conference that a total of 150 foreign tourists would visit Kamalganj at Moulvibazar in Sylhet on Tuesday and stay there for three days to enjoy the ethnic-community based cultural tourism.
The state minister said that foreign tourists would visit Bangladesh more after construction of the international airport in Cox’s Bazar, and rail line from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar and opening of the Metrorail in the capital.
The civil aviation and tourism will celebrate the World Tourism Day by holding a colorful rally, organising seminars and discussions at various districts. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation’s chairman Md Ali Kadar said that the BPC would offer special discounts on its foods and accommodation to celebrate the day.
The World Tourism Organisation has designed the World Tourism Day 2022 to focus on the theme ‘Rethinking Tourism’. Bangladesh needs to develop rural-based tourism to attract tourists, according to the theme of the World Tourism Day, Bangladesh Resort Industries Association of Bangladesh president Khabir Uddin Ahmed said.
