The membership drive of the United Tourism Stakeholders Society of Bangladesh (UTSSOB), a tourism think tank formed by stakeholders of the country’s tourism sector, has officially begun.
At an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors and Advisors held on Thursday, 9 July, five new members formally joined the organization by handing over their membership fees to the President, H. M. Hakim Ali, and expressing their commitment to actively participate in UTSSOB’s activities.
The meeting resolved that UTSSOB will immediately undertake two research projects focusing on Sreemangal in Moulvibazar and the Sundarbans in Khulna. The Board also discussed conducting a survey among tourists visiting Dhaka to better understand visitor experiences and expectations.
While various challenges facing Bangladesh’s tourism sector were discussed, the newly inducted members emphasized the importance of establishing UTSSOB as a common platform for all tourism stakeholders, with a strong focus on research and knowledge-based initiatives. The participants also stressed that regular surveys and research on inbound, outbound, and domestic tourism would generate valuable data to support evidence-based policy recommendations and contribute meaningfully to the development of Bangladesh’s tourism industry.
The meeting was chaired by H. M. Hakim Ali, President of UTSSOB. Among those who addressed the meeting were Vice President Toufiq Rahman, General Secretary Rezaul Ekram, Director Kamrul Hasan, Tour Operator Borhan Uddin, Tourism Entrepreneur Sabina Yasmin, Pugmark Tours & Travels Nazrul Islam Bachchu, Advisor Pronab Saha, and others.
The meeting also decided to organize a Round Table Discussion on the occasion of World Tourism Day, to be observed on 27 September, and to publish a UTSSOB Newsletter to promote research findings, policy discussions, and organizational activities.