Tourism
Padma Bridge: Changing lives and landscapes in southwestern Bangladesh
Saiful, who used to be a van-puller, now sells ‘fuchka’ (street food) near the Padma Bridge.
He now earns significantly more than he did previously – thanks to the boom the locality has seen in tourism since the Padma Bridge opened in June 2022. Many day laborers, like Saiful, are taking advantage of the positive change in the area and have gotten involved in the informal tourism – earning a good living.
Apart from the rise in tourists visiting various attractions in the country’s southwestern region – facilitated by the improved communication thanks to the bridge, a large number of people are arriving just to see the Padma Bridge, a modern infrastructure marvel.
Many hotels, restaurants, resorts, and parks have been built near the bridge. Many have changed professions in the hope of earning more.
Also read: 3rd Shitalakhya Bridge: Vehicles coming via Padma Bridge won’t need to enter Dhaka, PM says
Numerous hotels and restaurants have been built in the Naodoba area of Jazira upazila, under Shariatpur district, according to UNB’s Faridpur correspondent. Several tourist attractions have been developed in Faridpur district’s Bhangar Char Rasta Mor, according to him.
“I came here with my daughter because she wanted to see the Padma Bridge,” said Naimul Islam, from Faridpur. “We went to the nearest restaurant after sightseeing.”
AirAsia keen to promote leisure, medical tourism, business travel to Bangladesh
Malaysia-based airline AirAsia is keen to promote leisure and medical tourism as well as business travel to Bangladesh via its extensive network.
A team from AirAsia Group, led by Chief Commercial Officer Karen Chan, is now in Dhaka.
During this visit, AirAsia Wednesday briefed the journalists about its operation in Bangladesh at a city hotel.
Morshedul Alam Chakladar, managing director of Total Air Services Limited (GSA of AirAsia Bangladesh) and Kazi Shah Muzakker Ahmedul Hoque, director of business development, were also present.
AirAsia is now operating four daily flights from Dhaka, three flights to Kuala Lumpur and one to Bangkok.
Read more: Thai AirAsia launches Dhaka-Bangkok flight
Hong Kong woos tourists with air tickets and vouchers
Hong Kong will give away air tickets and vouchers to woo tourists back to the international financial hub, racing to catch up with other popular travel destinations in a fierce regional competition.
During the pandemic, the city largely aligned itself with mainland China’s “zero-COVID” strategy and has relaxed its entry rules months slower than rivals such as Singapore, Japan and Taiwan. Even after it reopened its border with mainland China in January, tourism recovery was sluggish.
On Thursday, Chief Executive John Lee launched a tourism campaign “Hello Hong Kong,” saying the city will offer 500,000 free air tickets to welcome tourists from around the world in what he called “probably the world's biggest welcome ever”.
“Hong Kong is now seamlessly connected to the mainland of China and the whole international world and there will be no isolation, no quarantine," he said at a ceremony. “This is the perfect timing for tourists, business travelers, and investors from near and far to come and say, ‘Hello, Hong Kong.’”
Under the campaign, most of the plane tickets — worth 2 billion Hong Kong dollars ($255 million) — will come from three Hong Kong-based airlines through various promotional activities, including lucky draws, “buy one, get one free” promotions and games. The project will begin in March and last about six months, said Fred Lam, CEO of the Airport Authority.
“We hope those who secure the air tickets can bring two or three more relatives and friends to the city. Although we are just giving away 500,000 air tickets, we believe this can help bring Hong Kong over 1.5 million visitors,” Lam said.
The airlines will distribute the tickets in phases, with the Southeast Asian markets set to benefit in the first stage, he said.
An additional 80,000 air tickets will be given away to Hong Kong residents in the summer, Lam said. Those living in the Greater Bay Area will also benefit from the policy that offers over 700,000 tickets in total. The Greater Bay Area is a Chinese government initiative to link Hong Kong with neighboring mainland cities, including the technology and finance hub of Shenzhen and the manufacturing powerhouses of Dongguan and Foshan.
Visitors can also enjoy special offers and vouchers among other incentives in the city, Lee said.
Hong Kong received 56 million visitors in 2019 — over seven times its population — before the pandemic began. But its strict COVID-19 restrictions have been keeping visitors away over the past three years, devastating the tourism sector and its economy. The city’s GDP last year fell 3.5 % from 2021, according to the government’s provisional data.
In the past few months, it finally dropped its mandatory hotel quarantine rule and PCR tests for incoming travelers, resulting in a slight increase in arrival figures. Still, its 2022 visitor numbers were just 1% of the 2019 level.
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This story has been corrected to reflect that the program was launched on Thursday, not Wednesday.
12 militants, 14 KNF members arrested so far in anti-militancy drive in Bandarban: RAB
Twelve members of new militant group 'Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya' and 14 members of armed separatist group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) have been arrested so far in the ongoing anti-militancy drive that started on October 10,2022.
Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of Rapid Action Battalion’s (RAB) legal and media wing, disclosed this at a press briefing over the arrest at zila parishad office in the town on Thursday.
He briefed reporters after the arrest of five suspected members of new militant outfit 'Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya' from Thanchi and Rowangchhari upazilas of Bandarban.
Read More: 3 ‘members of new militant outfit’ held with arms, explosives in Bandarban
They were brought to the Rab office in the town in the morning.
“Besides, we have a list of 55 people who took training in the hills being inspired by militancy. Legal steps will be taken against those who have been arrested, said Moin.
The ban on tourism in Rowangchhari, Thanchi and Ruma upazilas is still on as the anti-militancy drive is continuing in the hill district.
The main purpose of the drives by the elite force was to capture those who are taking shelter and taking training there after tracing their location, said Moin.
Read More: Bandarban: Ban on tourism in 3 upazilas extended till Dec 11
In 2021, the Amir of Jamatul Ansar fil Hindal Sharqiya had an agreement with the CHT-based armed group KNF regarding militant training in the area till next year. As per the agreement, Tk 3 lakh per month and food expenses of all KNF members were to be borne, the RAB official said in a press briefing last year.
New Israeli government vows to develop West Bank tourism
The tourism minister of Israel's new hardline government on Sunday promised to invest in developing the West Bank, calling the occupied area “our local Tuscany.”
Haim Katz made the comments days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new government took office, promising in its coalition guidelines to make West Bank settlement construction a top priority. His coalition includes far-right settler leaders in top posts.
Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war and has built dozens of settlements that are now home to roughly 500,000 Israelis.
Read more: Israeli missile strikes put Damascus airport out of service
The Palestinians claim the entire area as part of a future independent state and consider the settlements illegal — a position that is widely shared by the international community. Israel's commitment to deepening its control of the West Bank has threatened to put it on a collision course with some of its closest allies.
At a ceremony Sunday, Katz said he would channel resources to promote tourism in the West Bank. “We will invest in areas that may not have received sufficient support to date,” he said. “For example, our local Tuscany in Judea and Samaria," he added, using the biblical term for the West Bank favored by religious and right-wing Israelis.
The West Bank settler community has developed a small tourism sector that includes hotels, bed and breakfasts and wineries. Israel considers these industries to be part of the country's broader tourism sector, while international human rights groups have said they deepen control of occupied territory.
Airbnb in 2018 said it would bar listings in the Israeli settlements, but it quickly backed down under heavy Israeli pressure. Last year, Booking.com said it was adding warnings to its listings there.
Read more: Israel indicts soldiers for trying to bomb Palestinian home
On Friday, the U.N. General Assembly asked the U.N.'s highest judicial body to give its opinion on the legality of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank.
Netanyahu called the resolution “disgraceful” and said Israel is not obligated to cooperate with the International Court of Justice.
Environment of Cox’s Bazar at stake: Out of over 500, only 4 hotels have own STP
Although there are more than 500 hotels, motels, and other residential establishments in Cox’s Bazar, only four of these have their own Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP), which is turning the tourist city into an open gutter.
According to Abu Sufian, an Additional District Magistrate who is also the In-charge of the district administration’s tourist cell, only three five-star and one three-star hotels in Cox’s Bazar have STP systems.
“There are eight more luxurious hotels which don’t have STP. We’ve told the star-labeled hotels to establish their own STP and have decided to bring the existing hotels under a centralized STP system,” Sufian said.
Saiful Islam, Assistant Director of Department of Environment in Cox’s Bazar, said that the government has asked more than 300 hotels to set up STP system regardless of the fact that most of these hotels don’t have space for STP.
Read more: JS body suggests stern action to prevent illegal sand extraction in Cox's Bazar
“Most of the hotels adjacent to the beach have been constructed without following environmental laws, and bad smell coming out of the excrement released from these hotels is resulting in the loss of tourists. That’s why the district administration in association with Cox’s Bazar Development Authority, Cox’s Bazar municipality and Department of Environment have jointly agreed to establish a central STP system,” Saiful said.
Mohammad Junaid, General Secretary of Cox’s Bazar Forest and Environment Protection Council, said that the government should ensure that any new infrastructure in Cox’s Bazar is set up after receiving clearance from the environment department.
FBCCI urges policy support in tourism development
Leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) said the tourism sector is frustrated as it is not in the list of the top ten sectors of Bangladesh, though the sector has 100 percent value addition to the country's economy.
They urged for the government's support in national and international branding besides increasing policy support for the development of this potential sector, they said.
Read more: FBCCI seeks dollars from reserves to import commodities for Ramadan
They said this in the second meeting of the standing committee on Hotel, Motel, Resort and Guest House Development held at FBCCI on Tuesday.
The businessmen said that the tourism industry in Bangladesh has developed. But the development is far behind compared to that of the neighboring countries. Businessmen believe that the tourism sector will be at top if government policy support increases.
Speaking as the chief guest FBCCI Vice President Md Amin Helaly said, “Tourism sector has made a lot of progress in the past years. Modern facilities, equipment, and technology are being used in our hotels, motels, and resorts like in developed countries. But still, the industry faces the lack of infrastructure, skilled manpower, and transport facilities.”
Read more: FBCCI seeks partnership with UK in technology transfer, supply chain development
He said, “Seven Sisters of India could be the potential market for Bangladesh’s tourism sector.
Helaly urged for taking the integrated initiative to tie up with the tourists of seven sisters region of India.
The other speakers demanded the simplification of license or clearance, more development of the communication system, bringing all tourism in the country under the license, and a government funding system for training of tourist guides.
FBCCI Director MGR Nasir Majumder, Hafez Harun, Abu Hussain Bhuiyan (Ranu), Akkas Mahmood, Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, Committee Co-Chairman Khandaker Ruhul Amin, AHM Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, Irfan Ahmed, Jalal Uddin Tipu, and others also spoke in the meeting.
Foreigners need not worry: Bali governor says on Indonesia’s law on sex outside marriage
The governor of Bali has dismissed worries that amended rules, which include provisions criminalising sex outside marriage, may frighten tourists away from its coasts – saying that foreign visitors to Bali are not in danger.
Last week, the contentious measure that forbids cohabitation of unmarried couples was approved by Indonesia's parliament.
In an effort to reassure tourists, Bali Governor Wayan Koster underlined in a statement on Sunday (December 11) that the new regulations, which take effect in three years, may only be prosecuted if a parent, spouse, or child files a complaint, AsiaOne reports.
He stated that anyone who “visits or resides” in Bali would not need to fear over the implementation of the Indonesian criminal code.
The Bali governor said that laws regarding this matter in the penal code had been changed from a previous, more stringent version so as to “give a greater assurance of everyone's privacy and comfort,” the report added.
Read: 2002 Bali terrorist attack: Australia wants Indonesia to monitor released bombmaker
According to Wayan, the Bali government would make sure that “there will be no checking on marital status upon check-in at any tourism accommodation, such as hotels, villas, apartments, guest houses, lodges and spas.”
In addition, Wayan refuted what he called “hoax” predictions of flight and hotel cancellations, noting that information from airlines, travel agencies, and tour operators showed an increase in the number of people planning to come to Bali between December 2022 and March 2023.
The tourist organisation wants international visitors to the mostly Hindu island of Bali to achieve pre-pandemic levels of six million per year by 2025. Bali is the epicentre of Indonesian tourism.
The governor of Bali has dismissed worries that amended rules, which include provisions criminalising sex outside marriage, may frighten tourists away from its coasts – saying that foreign visitors to Bali are not in danger.
Last week, the contentious measure that forbids cohabitation of unmarried couples was approved by Indonesia's parliament.
In an effort to reassure tourists, Bali Governor Wayan Koster underlined in a statement on Sunday (December 11) that the new regulations, which take effect in three years, may only be prosecuted if a parent, spouse, or child files a complaint, AsiaOne reports.
Read: Indonesia’s Parliament votes to ban sex outside of marriage
He stated that anyone who “visits or resides” in Bali would not need to fear over the implementation of the Indonesian criminal code.
The Bali governor said that laws regarding this matter in the penal code had been changed from a previous, more stringent version so as to “give a greater assurance of everyone's privacy and comfort,” the report added.
According to Wayan, the Bali government would make sure that “there will be no checking on marital status upon check-in at any tourism accommodation, such as hotels, villas, apartments, guest houses, lodges and spas.”
In addition, Wayan refuted what he called “hoax” predictions of flight and hotel cancellations, noting that information from airlines, travel agencies, and tour operators showed an increase in the number of people planning to come to Bali between December 2022 and March 2023.
The tourist organisation wants international visitors to the mostly Hindu island of Bali to achieve pre-pandemic levels of six million per year by 2025. Bali is the epicentre of Indonesian tourism.
Tourism banned indefinitely in Bandarban’s Rowangchhari and Ruma upazilas
As part of security measures in Bandarban, one of the three constituent districts of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the administration has imposed an indefinite ban on tourism at Rowangchhari and Ruma upazilas.
A public notice in this regard was issued by Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (routine duty) Md Lutfor Rahman on Sunday requesting tourists to not travel to these upazilas until further notice.
However the tourists will be able to travel freely in other upazilas of Bandarban, said the notice.
Read more: Bandarban: Ban on tourism in 3 upazilas extended till Dec 11
Earlier on December 3, the travel ban in three upazilas of the district Ruma, Rowangchhari, and Thanchi was extended till December 11.
This is the eleventh consecutive time that such restriction has been extended for the safety of tourists amid an anti-militancy drive in the district's remote areas.
Earlier, the local administration lifted the restriction from Alikadam upazila and Thanchi upazila on November 12 and November 16, respectively – before imposing it again in Thanchi.
Read more: Ban on tourism in parts of Bandarban extended till Dec 4
Law enforcement agencies started a joint drive against the underground extremists and criminals in the district on October 10.
Bangladesh International Travel and Tourism Expo draws to close
The first Bangladesh International Travel and Tourism Expo that started Thursday to boost the country's tourism industry and showcase it to global tourists drew to a close Saturday at a Dhaka hotel.
The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) organised the three-day expo at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.
According to organisers, airlines, hospitals, travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, resorts and other travel and tourism-related service organisations of more than 15 countries including India, Malaysia, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Oman, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Azerbaijan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, and the UAE, joined the expo.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun was present as the chief guest and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen as the special guest at the closing ceremony.
Francisco de Asís Benítez Salas, ambassador of Spain, Ito Naoki, ambassador of Japan, Haznah Md Hashim, high commissioner of Malaysia, Pham Viet Chien, ambassador of Vietnam, Ghanshyam Bhandari, ambassador of Nepal, were also present.
At the event, the industries minister announced that the Bangladesh International Travel and Tourism Expo 2023 will be held from December 1 to 3.
Read more: FBCCI partners with CNN to promote trade, investment opportunities in Bangladesh globally