Over the past year, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has undertaken a series of initiatives to ensure sustainable development, good governance, efficiency, and modernization of services in the country’s tourism sector.
According to the Ministry, the National Tourism Day has been upgraded from category “C” to “B,” elevating the status of the sector. To promote inclusive and sustainable tourism, the Tourism Policy 2010 has been revised and updated in 2025. During the drafting process, stakeholder consultations were held, and the draft policy has been published on the Ministry’s website to invite further feedback and observations.
The Travel Agency Regulation and Registration Act 2013 and the Travel Agency Registration and Regulation Rules 2022 have been amended to explicitly include provisions for online travel agencies. A circular on travel agency operations is also underway. Last fiscal year, revenue collection from travel agencies reached BDT 7.5 crore, exceeding the target by 110%. Meanwhile, licenses of 13 travel agencies were recently cancelled for involvement in syndicate activities.
To empower local communities and reduce the adverse impact of overtourism at popular destinations, a community-based tourism guideline has been developed. Preliminary guidelines have also been prepared for safe wetland tourism and responsible sea tourism. For environmental protection on Saint Martin’s Island, a daily visitor limit of 2,000 has been set, with ticketing integrated into a software platform developed by the Bangladesh Tourism Board.
A Code of Conduct with illustrative guidelines has been introduced for all tourism service providers, aiming to enhance service quality, safety, and transparency. The Bangladesh Tourism Board is also in the final stages of establishing regional offices in six districts. A new Tourism Motel & Youth Inn has been inaugurated in Bagerhat, providing accommodation for visitors to the Sixty Dome Mosque and other historical sites.
To make the commercial units of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation more transparent and profitable, the Marketing Strategy 2025 has been formulated, with 100% automation implemented. Issuing receipts for food sales has been made mandatory, with violations subject to penalties.
Youth engagement initiatives include entrepreneurship seminars, basecamp training, and tourism volunteer programs, with 100 tourism volunteers already trained in Cox’s Bazar. Training programs are also ongoing to enhance the skills of tour operators and guides, along with industry-academia collaboration.
Cultural and culinary festivals have been organized to popularize tourism. The “Taste of Bangladesh” food festival in Dhaka received a wide response, while festivals in Srimangal and Moulvibazar showcased indigenous heritage and culture on an international platform.
Work is ongoing on the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) to enable real-time data on tourism. Additionally, sports tourism has been initiated through a memorandum of understanding with the Bangladesh Sports Board.
The Ministry emphasized that the current government views tourism as a key driver of national development and remains committed to ensuring responsible and sustainable tourism to position Bangladesh strongly on the global tourism map.
