Tourism to become major driver of employment, economy: State Minister

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s tourism sector has the potential to emerge as a major driver of employment generation and economic growth, said M. Rashiduzzaman Millat.

The State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the “TOAB International Tourism Award (TITA) 2026,” organized by the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh, at a hotel in the capital on the evening of May 17.

In his speech, Millat said the government considers tourism not only an important economic catalyst but also a powerful tool for employment generation, regional development, and cultural exchange.

He said the government has adopted an integrated tourism master plan to develop and promote 1,498 tourist attractions across the country. The plan includes eco-tourism, adventure tourism, religious tourism, and culture- and heritage-based tourism initiatives.

The State Minister also invited TOAB to submit recommendations for policy reforms aimed at strengthening the tourism sector.

“At present, tourism contributes around 3 percent to the country’s GDP. The government is working to increase this contribution to 8–9 percent in the near future,” he said.

Millat further expressed optimism about implementing infrastructure development projects in the tourism sector through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives.

Earlier, the State Minister handed over honorary awards to 13 organizations in 13 categories in recognition of their contributions to the tourism industry at the TITA 2026 ceremony.