Tourism stakeholders demand duty free vehicle, cash incentive

Aviation News: Leaders of tour operators and travel agents today demanded budgetary measures for duty-free import of tourist vehicles and 10 percent cash incentive for tourism business.

“In the upcoming national budget, we need provision of importing duty-free tourist vehicle and 10 percent cash incentive as we are earning foreign currency without any support from the government,” they said.

The demands were made at a pre-budget discussion on Civil Aviation and Tourism at Dhaka Reporter Unity (DRU).

Aviation and Tourism Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) and Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) organized the discussion in cooperation with the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB).

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon spoke as the chief guest while TOAB President Toufiq Uddin Ahmed and ATAB President Monjur Morshed Mahbub spoke as the guests of honor.

ATJFB convener Nadira Kiron moderated the discussion while member secretary Tanzim Anwar gave welcome speech.

TOAB Director Toufiq Rahman and ATAB Secretary General Zinnur Ahmed Chowdhury Dipu presented two separate keynote papers containing various proposals while Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Additional Research Director Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem analysed different aspects of upcoming budget focusing tourism sector.

Rashed Khan Menon urged the private sector to come up with investment in a bigger way to develop exclusive tourism zones jointly with the government.

“At this moment, the government won’t be able to provide the required amount of money for development of those zones. We need private investment in a bigger way under the public-private partnership (PPP),” he said.

Noting that the government is considering tourism as a thrust sector this time, the minister said “I assure you that there is political commitment for the development of the tourism sector this time.”

He urged the stakeholders of the tourism sector not to expect too much in terms of budgetary allocations this time as the Finance Minister works with limited resources.

“But we’ll continue working with you for the development of the highly potential sector,” he said adding that the Finance Minister will make specific directives in his budget speech this time.

Menon assured of the leaders of TOAB and ATAB to address their concerns in consultation with the Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

Economist Golam Moazzem said the government should focus more on the tourism sector as it has vast potential to contribute to the economy.

The CPD economist said Tourism and Civil Aviation deserve equal attention but the tourism sector remains neglected.

“Since the government is giving priority, the tourism sector needs separate identity. Probably, I say with courage, a separate ministry is needed for tourism sector as it has vast potential,” he added.