Daffodil International University (DIU) hosted a national roundtable titled “Meaningful Tourism: Perspectives on Planning and Sustainability” on 14 July, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and academics to discuss the future of Bangladesh’s tourism sector.

Held at the university’s International Conference Room in Birulia, Savar, the event featured a keynote address by Professor Dr Wolfgang Georg Arlt (FRGS, FRAS), a tourism expert from Germany, who shared insights on sustainable tourism planning and the concept of meaningful tourism.

The roundtable aimed to promote meaningful tourism as an approach that generates economic, social and cultural benefits while ensuring long-term sustainability for all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

The programme began with a welcome address by Professor Dr Mohammad Rakibul Kabir, dean of the Faculty of Business and Entrepreneurship at DIU, and was moderated by Associate Professor Mahabub Parvez.

Among the participants were Mohammad Hanif, president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB); Md Ziaul Haque Howlader, general manager of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation; Md Jalal Uddin Tipu of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB); Md Tawfiq Rahman, secretary general of PATA Bangladesh; Mofizur Rahman, managing director of Novoair; Rizwan Maruf, director of marketing at InterContinental Dhaka; Md Sakhawat Hossain, chief executive officer of The Westin Dhaka; and other representatives from the tourism industry.

Speakers observed that climate change, artificial intelligence and changing travel preferences are reshaping the global tourism industry, creating new opportunities while making many traditional business models less effective.

They noted that Bangladesh continues to receive a relatively small number of international tourists despite its rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes and biodiversity. According to the discussion, around 650,000 foreign tourists visited Bangladesh in 2025, generating approximately US$440 million in tourism revenue.

The speakers emphasised that Bangladesh could strengthen its position as an international tourism destination by focusing on service quality rather than visitor numbers and by developing specialised tourism products tailored to regional markets. They also stressed the importance of avoiding challenges such as environmental degradation, cultural erosion and over-tourism that have affected many established tourist destinations.