Dear fans, our beloved Ashraf Sir delivered the keynote speech in the World Tourism Day 2013 observation program organized by Bangladesh Tourism Foundation. I am sharing Sirs speech with you so that you can enjoy the words of wisdom as I did: Bangladesh Tourism Foundation Celebrating World Tourism Day – 2013 Keynote Speech Tourism and Water – Protecting Our Common Future: Perspective Bangladesh By Prof. Mohammad Ashraful Islam Chowdhury Dean, School of Business and Social Studies, State University of Bangladesh; Former (Founding) Chairman, Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management, Dhaka University Honorable Chair of today’s auspicious program, honorable Chief Guest, Minister of Industries, Govt. of Bangladesh, Special Guests Prof. Mujib Uddin Ahmed, Chair, Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management, Dhaka University, Mr. Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir, CEO, Bangladesh Tourism Board, Mr. Toufiq Uddin Ahmed, President, TOAB, Mr. H M Hakim Ali, Presidnt, Bangladesh International Hotel Association, Mr. Francis De Silva, Expert, TVET Reproject, ILO, Dhaka, Discussant Mr. A K M Bari, Member, Bangladesh Tourism Board, Members of different Media, invited guests, ladies and gentlemen Assalamualaikum. Like every year, the United Nations along with the whole world is observing World Tourism Day for the year 2013. This year’s theme is ‘Tourism and Water: Protecting Our Common Future’. The theme is indeed significant for Bangladesh in a multi-dimensional manner. The role of water as a resource for any country is recognized beyond doubt. Especially, a riverine country like Bangladesh is largely dependent on its water resources for its economical and socio-cultural significance. The cycle of life in this country rotates around the rivers, canals, wetlands and other water bodies that embrace this land. The whole country’s agriculture, transportation and even social and cultural events are heavily dependent on the different natural sources of water. It is practically impossible to imagine the life of people here without usage of the water bodies. Along with the usage of natural water system for the daily life-cycle of Bangladeshi people, the wide-spread distribution of natural water bodies has also opened up a huge scope of tourism for us. Tourism circuits and destinations based on the rivers, wet-lands and coastline can create ample opportunity to capture the nature loving tourists from home and abroad. Keeping along the rapidly growing global concern and demand for eco-tourism, Bangladesh has been experiencing a promising development in this sector in the recent years. Eco-tourism or ecologically friendly tourism centers on the concern for maintenance and conservations of eco-system and bio-diversity of the destination areas and the tourism circuits and thus, emphasizes on the responsible and sustainable usage of natural resources for the communities as a whole. For the nature and eco-system of Bangladesh, sustainable co-management of water resources is indispensable to preserve the interest of all the stakeholders of tourism industry, from the tourists to the host communities. The theme of the World Tourism Day 2013 is thus the most appropriate one in our context. In the context of Bangladesh, this year’s World Tourism Day theme focusing the issue of protecting common interest can be signified in a number of ways. Due to the economic and geographic constraints of Bangladesh, the scope of built structures and man-made attractions around the tourism destinations are significantly limited. As a result, nature based tourism or eco-tourism stands as the sustainable tourism strategy for Bangladesh. In this scenario, water bodies like rivers, lakes, wet-lands etc. can become attractions and even destinations that are gifted with scenic beauty. Also, the maintenance of the water bodies are less capital intensive and are rather appreciated if left uncultivated with minimal built structures. For example, Hakaluki Haor of Moulovibazar or Sari river of Sylhet attracts thousands of nature loving tourists from home and abroad due to their untamed natural beauty. Thus, integrating water bodies in tourism and establishing tourism circuits based on water bodies can become a very economic yet extremely sustainable strategy for the future growth of tourism industry of Bangladesh. Besides integrating water bodies as a sustainable strategy, tourism can also play a vital role in protecting the water resources in different ways. Developing destinations and attractions in and around the water bodies would motivate the local communities to join in the initiatives to conserve and protect them. Bringing in the benefits of tourism for the communities around the water bodies through employment and trade opportunities can also minimize the pressure on the water bodies for their livelihood maintenance and thus ensure co-protection of water resources through reducing vulnerability. Such strategies have been mentionable successful for the river and lake shore communities in China, Laos and some other parts of the tropic. Besides, diverting pressure on water bodies, part of revenue generated through tourism in the water based destinations can be spent for conservation, maintenance or even restoration of the water bodies which is a regular maintenance function for any destination. Besides industry contribution, the government would also recognize the amplified importance of conservation for commerce and pursue an emphasized effort. Thus, integrating water would not only serve the interest of tourism industry, but also serve for a much larger common interest of the people in the upcoming future. Like any industry, tourism too, has its own impact on water bodies. Tourism is not only a large user of water, but it also contributes to the deterioration of water bodies through transportation, wastage and human impacts like littering. Deterioration of water bodies caused by tourism impacts everyone in a destination area at large. The impact is much larger for the environmentally vulnerable and heavily populated country like Bangladesh. Tourism thus, must undertake the responsibility to minimize its impact on water. Expenditures from the tourism produces to restore the deterioration of water resources can be a sound strategy in this regard. But above all, stakeholders of tourism industry must uphold and promote responsible tourism behavior in all the activities and make the industry greener. Minimizing waste disposal and human movement impacts on the water bodies are now an immediate concern to keep the nature based tourism opportunities sustainable in the long run. Being in the Ganges-Brahmaputra peninsula, Bangladesh shares almost of its major rivers with the up-stream neighboring countries especially India. These cross-country rivers also act as the major feeder for many inland water bodies like wetlands and haaors and thus are extremely crucial for the nature and bio-diversity needed for the sound livelihood of people. Besides sharing rivers, Bangladesh shares closely related landscape, culture and people with its neighbors. As a result, tourism circuits are nowadays seen among the SAARC countries that have land borders between them. For the sustainability of nature based tourism and eco-tourism in these countries, conservation and effective management of the water bodies are of common concern. Tourism thus, can emphasize the issue of common interest among the countries and foster the co-management of cross-country rivers through MOUs and joint conservation program, which would also benefit the people of this vast peninsula. The impact of such initiatives would be much larger in the term of socio-political outcomes than just tourism proceeds. Bangladesh tourism foundation is continuously promoting the tourism industry of Bangladesh in home and abroad through various noble initiatives and programs. As a part of its programs, it is celebrating and observing the World Tourism Day 2013 in this befitting manner. I sincerely thank the capstones of BTF for recognizing the urgency of the theme of this year’s theme and organize such program. In this regard, I would also like to remind BTF that, creating and promoting a movement for water friendly and water centered tourism in Bangladesh, which would ensure a promising future, largely rests upon their shoulder as BTF serves ‘The Common Interest’ of all the stakeholders. I strongly believe, thoughtful initiatives taken by BTF would not only be supported by the tourism industry of Bangladesh, but also be appreciated and actively supported by all corners who have common concern and common interest for water as a whole. Let us commonly share the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day, ‘Tourism and Water: Protecting Our Common Future’ and say loudly, ‘Water for Tourism, Water for All’. Thank you all.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 12:19:30 +0000
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