Problems and Prospects of Tourism Industry in Bangladesh: A Study on Cumilla District

Tourism is one of the most growing industries all around the world. Bangladesh is a new tourist destination on the map of the world. Bangladesh has enormous potential to develop tourism because of its attractive natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. The tourism industry of Bangladesh has several positive impacts on the overall economy of this country. Tourism can add value to the Bangladeshi economy if a proper marketing plan and strategy can be built and implemented for this purpose. The main objective of the study was to find out the major problems and prospects of the tourism industry in Bangladesh. The study area was Cumilla District. The study has tried to highlight the special attractive tourist spots of Bangladesh, especially in Cumilla. Tourists of Cumilla District were the population of the study. For the study, a convenient sample of tourists from various tourist spots in the Cumilla District had taken. The study depended on both primary and secondary data; primary data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analyzed. From the analysis, it was found that the majority of the respondents are satisfied with cultural & religious heritage, transportation quality & cost efficiency. But they are dissatisfied with Information gaps, the absence of tour operators, poor service of hotel & poor security. Most of them suggest developing infrastructure such as accommodation, transportation, ensuring security, taking more promotional activities, reducing the cost of touring, etc. To enhance the existing image sincere steps of the concerned authorities can really be helpful; some guidelines have been mentioned in the recommendation part.