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BSS-05
PM-TOURISM
PM for making Islamic tourism as global brand
DHAKA, July 11, 2019 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed
the need for taking prompt measures to make Islamic tourism as a global
business brand considering its huge potential since it witnesses 8.3 percent
annual growth.
“The value of Islamic tourism market will increase to $243 billion by 2021
with an annual 8.3 percent growth. So, all-out efforts and roadmap aims at
promoting Islamic tourism as a global business brand is urgently required,”
she said while inaugurating the two-day official celebration of”Dhaka OIC City of Tourism 2019
in a city hotel here.
The prime minister has also proposed allocating a separate tourist spot
for the OIC member states in Cox’s Bazar.
Calling upon all the OIC member states to work together for flourishing
Islamic tourism, she said, “In realising our targets (to be a developed and
prosperous nation), flourish of tourism sector can play an important role. In
this case, Islamic tourism is the best possible area where we have the
opportunity and potential to work together.”
Bangladesh has been playing a significant role in upholding solidarity and
unity among the Muslims following Islamic values of fraternity, justice,
cohesion and inclusion as a whole since Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman joined the second OIC conference in 1974, the premier
said.
Referring to a report of Thomson-Reuters that forecasted tremendous
potential of Islamic tourism, the premier said, “Muslim populations globally
spent a total of $151 billion on travel in 2015 (excluding Hajj and Umrah).
Of the amount, OIC member states contributed to $109 billion.”
By 2020, the world’s Muslim population will be 26 percent of the entire
world population while the number of Muslim tourists will rise to 180 million
from 156 million within that year, she mentioned.
Urging the OIC member states to encourage their private sector entities in
tourism infrastructure and development projects, the prime minister said, “I
hope appropriate steps will be taken in order to promote intra-OIC tourism
through easing visa for investment promotion, branding, standardisation and
capacity building.”
MORE/AHJ/RY/1225 hrs