Global Journal of Management and Business Research, F: Real Estate, Event and Tourism Management, Volume 22 Issue 3

© 2022 Global Journals 53 Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XXII Issue III Version I Year 2022 ( ) F River Tourism in Bangladesh: Present Status and Future Prospects Nora Islam Abstract- River tourism is quite different from the conventional tourism concept which is based on rivers. Bangladesh has great potential to flourish in this sector. Bangladesh is already famed as a riverine country. A good number of tourists are interested in river tourism in Bangladesh. Though there is huge potential for Bangladesh to become a prominent destination for river tourism but still it is untapped due to various challenges. This study analyzed the existing river tourism sector of Bangladesh to explore the potentialities and challenges of this sector. The study revealed that there are some challenges to gaining success in the development of river tourism. Lack of skilled manpower, safety and security issues, lack of tourism infrastructure, and inadequate funding are some remarkable challenges. Based on the findings, the paper suggested several recommendations for the development of river tourism in Bangladesh. Keywords: river tourism, major challenges, economic development, tourism growth. I. I ntroduction ivers are major spatial elements in the landscape of Bangladesh. Historically Bangladesh is known as the “Land of Rivers”. The rivers of Bangladesh are one of the greatest forms of self-identification for the country and the most important geographical feature of Bangladesh. The rivers of Bangladesh also played an important role in the history, growth, and development of the country. The livelihood of countless rural Bangladeshis depends on the rivers. The country has 700 rivers including tributaries and a total length of almost 24,140 km. They consist of rivers, hilly streams, winding seasonal creeks, and canals together constituting about 7% of the country’s total surface areas and they link most parts of the country by anintricate network of waterways (Banglapedia). River tourism is one of the most popular forms of tourism worldwide. It offers an opportunity to travel inland waterways and rivers. It provides a unique experience to explore a country differently. River tourism is very flexible, comfortable, and pleasant to travelers and serves the tourism purpose mostly in an enjoyable way. Foreign tourists are interested in exploring the local people’s livelihood, their unique culture and traditional way of life, nature, picturesque pristine countryside, and the serene beauty of the rivers, hilly rivers, and wetlands like haor (wetland ecosystem). The serenity and touch Author: Lecturer, Department of Maritime Tourism and Hospitality Management. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University, Bangladesh. e-mail: nora.mthm@bsmrmu.edu.bd of a river may vary for tourists. Some found it in a dramatic and romantic way, permeating a sense of pleasantness to the beholders. Tourists are also interested in exploring the people’s life of Char (River Bar). Their struggling and survival ways are really different from others. Foreign tourists also love to visit inland and coastal islands like Hatia, Bhola, Swandeep, and so on. Tourists are also interested to travel in paddle steamers because of its antique appeal, heritage, and convenience. Each river in the country is full of opportunities for the tourism sector and waiting to be utilized. River tourism also can work as the savior from demise of rivers. River tourism is the best way to see the real beauty of Bangladesh. Unfortunately, Bangladesh is still far behind from developing river tourism for improper tourism infrastructure. II. L iteraturer R eview The tourism sector is playing an important role in the economic development of developing countries. In Bangladesh tourism is one of the most profitable sectors (Elena et al., 2012). River tourism is a unique sub-sector of the tourism industry in Bangladesh. River tourism is closely related to the natural environment and living being on the bank of river livelihoods which are deeply rooted in rivers and water. The history of river tourism started with Herodotus. In ancient times he described his journey to Egypt in 450 BC when the Nile overflows on Egypt. People used boats to move and sail right by the pyramids for going Naucratis to Memphis (Carson, 1994, p. 22). In primeval times people in this South Asia region only use waterways because the river was the main route then. Moving one place to another for personal reasons and carrying goods for business purposes people were using rivers as only of way movement. At present, still, the people of Bangladesh are giving importance to our river ways for both passenger and commodities transportation. River tourism has become popular and taken a particular place besides ocean and overland traveling. Hulme and Youngs (2002) stated that writing and traveling have been intimately connected. Writers open an imagination field for us and give us the enjoyment of traveling through their writing. Such peaceful traveling like River tourism gives this kind of scope to armchair travelers. R