World Tourism Day 2023 Being Observed With Various Programs

World Tourism Day is being celebrated in the country today Wednesday (27 September), just like in the rest of the world, to highlight the country's diverse tourism products and services. The government and various organizations are currently planning various programs to celebrate the day with the global theme "Tourism and Green Investment."

Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) is currently organizing a four-day 'Bangladesh Festival' under its 'Mujib's Bangladesh' campaign to mark World Tourism Day 2023 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) here.

Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury inaugurated the festival today at 11 am. More than 160 organizations, including 20 hotel resorts, 70 regional food stalls, 29 districts under district branding, 26 craft souvenirs, 2 airlines, amusement parks, travel agents, tour operators, tour guides, and foreign embassies, are currently participating in the Bangladesh Festival to showcase the country's tourism attractions.

"This festival is currently serving as a platform to showcase all the untapped tourist attractions of Bangladesh, boosting the ongoing post-Covid recovery efforts of the country's tourism industry," said civil aviation and tourism secretary Md. Mokammel Hossain at a press conference on Monday.

At 7:30 am, a rally is currently starting from BICC to celebrate the day. Seminars are being held on tourist and tourist center safety, accommodation, aviation, employment opportunities in the tourism sector, and women's participation in the tourism industry, archeology, food tourism, tourism and aviation journalism, and plastic-free St. Martin.

Hossain said the ministry currently has a plan to organize such kinds of events every year to celebrate World Tourism Day. "Bangladesh Festival is currently helping the visitors make interesting tour plans. Besides, it is currently generating enthusiasm among tourism stakeholders, speeding up the post-Covid tourism recovery, and playing a vital role in the tourism industry," he added.

BTB CEO Abu Tahir Muhammad Zaber said that, along with domestic tourists, the festival is also helping attract more foreign tourists to Bangladesh, as different foreign missions stationed in Dhaka are also participating.

More than 70 traditional food stalls from 64 districts of the country are currently serving heritage food items like Naksi Pitha, Haji Briyani, Bakorkhani, Chui Jhal, and Kebabs at the event. In addition, in the festival, the process of making 'Jamdani' is currently being demonstrated along with another Bangladesh's heritage fabric-Muslin making process.

The story of the recovery of Muslin yarn after 170 years is also currently being displayed in the festival. The events are also currently including a cultural program Gambhira, regional songs of Sylhet, Gazi Kalur Pot, Patha Natya, Baul Song, Puthi Path, Kawali, and song arrangements by eminent artists.

Besides, there is currently a special event on a tourism beauty pageant on September 30th, the fourth and last day of the festival. The implementing partner of the festival is Spellbound, while the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), Aviation and Tourism Journalists' Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB), Bangladesh International Hotel Association (BIHA), and Bangladesh Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (BAAPA) are currently joining as strategic partners.

Since 1980, this day has been celebrated every year to focus on promoting tourism globally. It was initiated by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)._BSS