Bangladesh is nearing completion of a national tourism master plan aimed at expanding the tourism sector and supporting the country’s broader ambition of developing a $1 trillion economy by 2034, officials said.
The master plan is expected to be published in December, according to a senior official of the Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB).The International Labour Organization (ILO) is providing technical and financial assistance to the Tourism Board in preparing the plan. The revised strategy will place particular emphasis on ecotourism, community-based tourism, water tourism and gastronomy tourism.
The previous initiative to prepare a tourism master plan was taken during the Awami League government, whose activities are currently banned, but the plan could not be implemented for various reasons.
Bangladesh Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Barrister Mutasim Billah Farooqui said the master plan was currently at the final review stage.”The tourism master plan is currently at the final stage of review. We expect the review process to be completed in October,” he said.
He said the plan would then go through several levels of approval, including the Tourism Board and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, before being placed before the National Tourism Council.
“Our target is to complete the processes up to the ministry level by November. We hope to publish the tourism master plan by December,” Farooqui said.
Eight-member team preparing plan: BTB Deputy Director (Statistics, Research and Planning) Md Mazharul Islam said the ILO was providing technical and financial support for preparing the master plan, while there was no direct government financial involvement in the process.
He said the existing draft of the tourism master plan was being revised in line with the current government’s election manifesto.”Emphasis is being placed on ecotourism, community-based tourism, water tourism and gastronomy tourism,” he said.
An eight-member team comprising two foreign and six Bangladeshi experts has been formed to prepare the plan, according to the official.The revised master plan is expected to include about 1,498 tourism destinations across the country, although the number could change during the finalisation process.
The proposed list includes major historical, cultural and natural attractions such as Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manzil, Somapura Mahavihara and Inani Beach, as well as religious and heritage sites.
Ecotourism gets priority: Ecotourism will receive greater priority under the new master plan, with many tourism projects expected to be developed around environmentally sustainable destinations.
The plan will focus on areas such as the Sundarbans and the Chattogram Hill Tracts, while ensuring that tourism development does not damage the environment or exceed the carrying capacity of destinations.Gastronomy tourism will focus on areas known for distinctive local cuisine, with efforts to promote those destinations as tourism hubs.Under the water tourism component, initiatives such as river cruises and riverside walkways will be developed in coordination with relevant agencies.
The master plan will also contain a separate chapter on foreign investment in tourism. The Tourism Board will work with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to facilitate implementation.
Tourism Satellite Account underway: Authorities are also working on a Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) to address the shortage of reliable data in the tourism sector.
Data from 73 countries have been surveyed as part of the process. Foreign visitors to Bangladesh have also been asked about different aspects of their travel experience, with their assessments expected to be incorporated into the master plan.The tourism strategy will also cover sports, adventure, religious, heritage, entertainment and conference-based tourism.
The Tourism Board is holding discussions with ASEAN countries on developing Buddhist tourism, while initiatives are also being considered to promote halal tourism, Bangladeshi cuisine and local festivals.
Visa, connectivity remain major challenges: Tourism-sector stakeholders said Bangladesh continues to face several obstacles to attracting foreign visitors.Visa complications, inadequate connectivity to tourist destinations, high travel costs, limited entertainment facilities and the lack of a tourist-friendly environment were identified as some of the key challenges.Stakeholders also stressed the need to strengthen Bangladesh’s international branding as a tourism destination.
They said some foreign tourists choose other South Asian destinations because of easier travel arrangements, better entertainment facilities and more developed tourism infrastructure.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akter said infrastructure development would be crucial for the sector.She said the runway expansion at Cox’s Bazar Airport had been completed and work on the terminal building was nearly finished, with preparations underway to launch international operations.
However, she said airport development alone would not be sufficient and that tourism infrastructure, facilities at destinations and international connectivity would also need to improve.Plans are also being considered to connect Cox’s Bazar with surrounding tourist destinations, while efforts would be made to simplify visa procedures for foreign visitors.
Tourism Week begins: The government has also launched a seven-day programme from September 27 to October 3 to mark World Tourism Day 2026, being observed under the theme “Tourism for Tomorrow: Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence.”
The programme includes rallies, a bicycle rally and a city tour for underprivileged children in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar administrative area on September 27.Meetings will also be held with tourism stakeholders and diplomats from different countries.On October 3, 12 thematic exhibition stalls will be inaugurated at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.
For the first time, the government will also present the Bangladesh Tourism Awards 2026 in 13 categories.The new master plan is therefore expected to provide a broader framework for developing Bangladesh’s tourism destinations, improving investment opportunities and promoting environmentally sustainable tourism while addressing infrastructure, connectivity and visitor-service gaps.
