Worldwide international tourist movement reached 898 million in 2007-a growth of over 6 per cent, while arrival in Bangladesh grew by 8 per cent. The speakers disclosed this at a seminar yesterday.

As part of Aktel-Dhaka Travel Mart 2008, a seminar titled "Eco and Newest Trend Geo Main Stay of Bangladesh Tourism" was held in cooperation with the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of University of Dhaka at a city hotel.

Raquib Siddique, Chief Editor of Bangladesh Monitor, in his keynote paper said, the UNWTO forecast that by 2010, international tourist arrivals will reach 1 billion annually. It estimates that the international tourism was generating $2 billion a day in receipt.

Eco tourism is a pragmatic concept that mixes modern conservation theories with good old-fashioned money making. Yearning for authentic travel has now led to a new trend- the Geo tourism.

He said Bangladesh has wealth of Eco and Geo tourism attractions unknown to many; the country has mountains, large coastline, mangroves and rain forests, marshland, island and Sal forests. This diversity makes Bangladesh fairly rich in flora and fauna. These attractions are yet to be exploited. Thus the main opportunity for Bangladesh in international tourism lies in its natural and cultural heritages.

He said the goal of Eco and Geo tourism development in Bangladesh should be to capture a portion of the enormous global tourism market by attracting visitors to natural areas to fund local conservation and fuel economic development.

Kazi Wahidul Alam, Chairman of Aktel-Dhaka Travel Mart 2008; Dr Ashraf Ali, Chairman of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management of Dhaka University; AKM Bari, Secretary General of Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB); Syed Golam Kabir, representative of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), among others, were present in the seminar.