DHAKA: The World Tourism Day (WTD) is on September 27 (Saturday). Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has been celebrating the day on September 27.

The theme of WTD 2014 is ‘Tourism and Community Development’, focusing on the ability of tourism to empower people and provide them with skills to achieve change in their local communities.

Bangladesh also celebrates the day as it is a global observance to highlight tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value.

Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) has taken several initiatives and programs centering the day under the supervision of Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry.

Newspapers, magazines and online news portals will publish special write-ups on this occasion.

Fairs, concerts, road shows, photo exhibition, food festivals, rallies and other programs will be staged across the country to create awareness about the need for promoting tourism in the country.

Tourism Corporation sources of the country said that some six-lakh tourists visited Bangladesh in 2012. But this visiting rate decreased to half in the next year (2013) due to political unrest.

The tourism industry has now become a huge industry in the world. It helps to reveal the local culture and tradition to the people across the world.

Moreover, it helps to assure the employment of the local people.

BDST: 1623 HRS, SEP 26, 2014