UNWTO chief Rifai assures Bangladesh of full cooperation to boost tourism

United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai has promised Bangladesh full cooperation to develop its tourism infrastructure.

He was addressing the concluding media call of a two-day conference - ‘Developing Sustainable and Inclusive Buddhist Heritage and Pilgrimage Circuits in South Asia's Buddhist Heartland’ – at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Wednesday.
 
“This (Buddhist conference) is sign… that South Asia is waking up as a region. Bangladesh is entering a new era. Cooperation from the UN and ADB will continue,” Rifai said.
 
In reply to a question on UNWTO’s support for Bangladesh’s tourism infrastructure, he said, “We’ll support Bangladesh. We’ll work closely with the sector.”
 
“Boosting domestic tourism could develop the necessary infrastructure for the country. The country must be enjoyed by its own people first... infrastructure will develop automatically. We’ll then help to promote investment,” he added.
 
About the Buddhist heritage and pilgrimage circuits, the UNWTO chief said, “…it’s not a pilgrimage but a cultural experience”
 
“... through this Bangladesh could be a hub for Buddhist tourism,” he added.
 
Rifai also said he would tour Cox’s Bazar after the conference.
 
“Some good investments in Cox’s Bazar might come out from this tour,” he said. 
 
“We also talked yesterday how to involve locals about safeguarding, guide industry, and beach management. We’ll train hundreds of people from the locality,” he added.