Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam said the government is working relentlessly to develop Bangladesh’s tourism sector sustainably and make it one of the economy’s main drivers. She made the remarks on Sunday at the oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected executive committee of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh at Gulshan Club in the capital.

Khanam congratulated the new committee and said its leadership would play an important role in developing the tourism industry. She said the government aims to build a sustainable, modern and world-class tourism sector. Work is under way on an integrated tourism master plan covering 1,498 tourist attractions, which she said would provide a long-term framework for tourism development.

The minister identified turning Cox’s Bazar into a regional tourism hub as a government priority and said the newly built Cox’s Bazar International Airport could help attract international visitors and expand the industry. She also announced plans for special discounts for expatriate Bangladeshis at Bangladesh Tourism Corporation hotels and motels. The government has set a target for tourism to contribute 6 to 7 percent of GDP and has initiated a nationwide Tourism Satellite Account to address data gaps.