Taxing tour operator services will hinder tourism industry growth: Toab

The imposition of tax on tour operator services will increase tourism costs, hindering the growth of this sector, speakers at a roundtable said today (29 June).

The Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (Toab) organised the roundtable at a city hotel.

At the programme, speakers said the tourism industry directly contributes to the country’s GDP, branding Bangladesh to the outside world and above all playing role the socio-economic development.

In his speech, Toab President Md Rafeuzzaman expressed apprehension that the imposition of a tax on the tourism sector will increase the cost of their tour packages. 

“As a result, domestic tourists may go to neighbouring countries, and foreign tourists may lose interest in visiting Bangladesh. The biggest concern is that major investments in the country’s tourism sector are coming to a halt, which will negatively affect the economy,” he said.

Mentioning that the tourism sector has recently begun to recover from the losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, he said the decision of tax imposition on tour operators will severely impact the tourism industry. 

The Toab president has called for the withdrawal of tax on tour operators’ services to support the thriving tourism sector.

Among others, former Tourism Corporation chairman Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir, former CEO of Bangladesh Tourism Board Jabed Ahmed, founder of BD Inbound Rezaul Iqram spoke at the event.