‘Tourism parks can prove a big draw for tourists’

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Ahmad Kaikaus said tourism parks can play an important role in the country's thriving tourism sector and those can help local tourism attain international standards.

After visiting the 964.95-acre Sabrang Tourism Park in Teknaf upazila of Cox's Bazar on Monday, Ahmad Kaikaus said 100 economic zones are being set up across the country as part of planned industrialisation. Likewise, tourism parks are also being set up to attract tourists from all over the world.

Sheikh Yusuf Harun, executive chairman (senior secretary) of the Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (Beza), said land has been allotted to several investors in Sabrang Tourism Park. Beza has already ensured utilities like gas, water, and electricity to the tourism park.

Beza authorities believe that once Sabrang Tourism Park is completed, 39,000 domestic and foreign tourists will be able to visit the place every day and it will also create employment opportunities for about 10,000 people.

Beza said Great Outdoor and Adventure Ltd, Green Orchard Hotels and Resorts Ltd, and Sunset Bay Ltd have already allocated investments of $32.2 million on 5.5 acres of land to build five-star and three-star hotels in Sabrang Tourism Park. The construction of the hotels has begun.

The list of investors also includes two companies from the Netherlands and Singapore and the total proposed investment is $334.60 million.

Beza's General Manager, Administration and Finance, Mohammad Hasan Arif, Sabrang Tourism Park Manager (Deputy Secretary) Mahburur Rahman, Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Md Kamrul Hasan, Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md Mamunur Rashid, and other senior Beza officials were also present at the park visit.