INTRODUCTION:

Cultural tourism in Bangladesh is very prospective as it has different ethnic groups with lots of
variation in sub-culture, rituals and festivals. Different ethnic groups of Bangladesh and their
colorful lifestyles have significantly enriched the entire cultural scenario of Bangladesh. Cultural
tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural
facilities such as museums and theatres. It can also include tourism in rural areas showcasing the
traditions of indigenous cultural communities and their values and lifestyle. Bangladesh is an
affluent country of culture. Tribal festivals especially marriage ceremony, biju utshob, pani
uthsob etc. are the main festivals for which tourists come from different parts of the country as
well as the other countries. Tourists come especially for the cultural festivals. Income of the local
people increase when tourists come to these areas. Tourists are taking part in increasing the
standard of living. Cultural tourism has a great potentiality in Bangladesh. Proper policies and
financial support are required to develop this industry. The Government of Bangladesh
especially National Tourism Organization (NTO) can play a significant role in the development
and promotion of cultural tourism in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:

Main Objective: To identify the role of NTO in the development and promotion of cultural
tourism in Bangladesh.

In order to carry out the study the following objectives have been considered:
To know about the components of cultural tourism.
To know the impact of cultural tourism in Bangladesh.
To identify how to transform cultural tourism in community based tourism.
To determine the role of hosts in the development and promotion of cultural tourism.
To know about the tribal and non-tribal people of Bangladesh.
To determine types of visitors and reasons behind the tour in cultural areas.
To identify the problems associated with cultural tourism in Bangladesh.
To frame policy recommendations to promote cultural tourism in Bangladesh.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

1. What is the role of NTO in the development and promotion of cultural tourism in
Bangladesh?

Is NTO doing well enough in the development and promotion of cultural tourism?
What role NTO has done in the past?
What NTO is currently doing?
What role NTO will do in the near future?
2. What are the nature and Characteristics of Cultural Tourism?

3. What are the subcategories of cultural tourism?

What is Heritage tourism?

What is Art tourism?
What is Creative tourism?
What is Rural cultural tourism?
What is Local cultural tourism?
What is Contemporary cultural tourism?

4. How we can interlink hosts community with cultural tourism?

5. Role of Host community in the development and promotion of cultural tourism?

How much Hosts community are interested to accept the visitors in their culture?
Perception of hosts community about tourists?
How destination life cycle influences host community to accept tourist?

6. Problems associated with cultural tourism in the development and promotion?

7. What are the possible solutions to minimize the problems associated with cultural tourism?

8. What are the promotional activities to Influence tourists in our cultural tourism?

9. What kind of activities by NTO can make the hosts community interested in the cultural
tourism?

10. How can we get economic benefits from cultural tourism?

LITERATURE REVIEW
The research studies conducted on cultural tourism throughout the world suggest that a good
number of tourists seek for cultural experiences, observe the differences between cultures, the
distinctness of the culture, etc., These are basically not based on natural beauty. World Tourism
Organization suggests that more that 40% of all international tourists are cultural tourists
(Richards, 1996) Defining cultural tourism becomes more complex by the fact that cultural
tourism is generally held to comprise various forms of tourism, such as heritage tourism,
historical tourism and ethnic tourism. Heritage tourism can be described as an encounter with or
an experience of being part of the history of a place through visiting historic sites, monuments,
and landscapes. Historical tourism is a form of heritage tourism: its main focus is to stress the
experiences of the past.
Ethnic tourism entails some form of first-hand, face-to-face experience with local people, either
by visiting their land or observing or participating in local customs, rituals and other traditional
activities (Harron and Weiler 1992).
It is clear that defining cultural tourism and cultural tourists is complex because it can mean
different things to different people (McKercher and Du Cros, 2003). The definition of cultural
tourism is proposed by different researchers based on their respective area of interest. Some
researchers define cultural tourism focusing on visitors point of view that means their
experience, activities, etc.
World Tourism Organization defines cultural tourism as movement of persons to satisfy the
human need for diversity, tending to raise the cultural level of the individual and giving rise to
new knowledge, experience and encounters (WTO,1985). Again The United Nations and the
World Tourism Organization define cultural tourism as comprising: the activities of persons
travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one
consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.(WTO, 1994).
Cultural tourism is a genre of special interest tourism based on the search for and participation in new
and deep cultural experiences, whether aesthetic, intellectual, emotional, or psychological (Stebbins,
1996)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In order to comply with the objectives data was taken from the secondary sources. Secondary
data was collected from various sources. For this study secondary data was taken from internet,
brochures, as well as websites of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) and difference tour
agencies that arrange tours in different locations of Bangladesh and other countries of the world.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Cultural tourism has wide variety activities such as visiting historic places, museum, and among
other cultural attractions. As people can visit other places easily in nowadays, the number of
people visiting cultural attractions is growing rapidly; and the World Tourism Organization
asserted that cultural tourism accounted for 37% of global tourism, and forecast that it would
grow at a rate of 15% per year (Richards, G. 2003). Unlike beach tourism which has to have a
coastline, cultural tourism can be everywhere because every place has its unique culture and
difficult to be copied. Most people would consider that cultural tourism does little damage to the
local environment and local culture, and brings great benefits to the locals; but some specialists
would suggest that cultural tourism is also harmful to the tourism destination allowing the
cultural tourist to penetrate sensitive cultural environments as the advance guard of the mass
tourist:

From tourists sight of view

 sightseeing might be the most interesting aspect of a holiday; sightseeing plus special
culture background would be the unforgettable experiences for them.

One of the most important positive aspects of cultural tourism is that, cultural tourism
covers all aspects of travel.

With cultural tourism, tourists can learn the history and the way of life in the destination,
which includes food, drink, hospitality, manufactured, and among others

Because of the cultural tourism, traditions in the some destinations can be protected and
passed on to the younger generations.

From the host side

cultural tourism can bring the destination great benefits: to have more investments, to
create more job opportunities, to build better infrastructures, to receive better education,
and among others

From the social and economical side

it establishes and reinforces identity,

it helps build image,
it helps preserve the cultural and historical heritage,
it supports culture and helps renew tourism.
it brings impacts on the economy
On the social life of a country
GDP:.
Employment:
Contribution to Government Revenue:

RESEARCH TIMELINE:

Step Date Objectives

1st step August 17 Visit to NTO to collect
secondary data

2nd step August 18-22 Collect secondary data from

internet, brochures, websites,
books and various other
sources

3rd step August 23-27 Organize the data collect from

various sources

4th step August 28-30 Make a draft for the whole

report and review it again

5th step August 31-SAeptember 10 Prepare the final report

REFERENCES:
1. ***(2009) The impact of culture on Tourism, OECD, Paris.
2. ***(2008) The Daily New Nation, February 18, 2008.
3. ***(2008) The Daily Star, June 17, 2008.
4. http://www.parjatan.gov.bd.
5. http://www.bangladesh.com.
6. http://www.bangladeh. saarctourism.org.
7. http://www.bangladehtourism.org.
8. http://www.banglapedia.com.
9. http://www.banglavasha.com.
10. http://www.culturalheritagetourism.org.
11. http://www.discovery.com.
12. http://www.moca.gov.bd/Organizations.htm.
13. http://www.yahoo.com/Society and Culture.