Ecotourism the way forward

The stakeholders of the tourism industry should be encouraged to adapt to ecotourism, stressed speakers at an event yesterday.

They made the remarks at the inauguration of Green Key Bangladesh Programme in Agargaon.

The programme certifies hotels, holidays parks, hostels, conference centres, small accommodations, camping sites and restaurants for fulfilling the environmental criteria for sustainable tourism set by the Foundation for Environmental Education, recognised by Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Saber Hossen Chowdhury, special envoy to the PM for environment and climate change, said development is not sustainable if environment is not conserved.

Abul Kalam Azad, principal secretary, PMO; Daniel Shaffer, CEO, Foundation for Environmental Education; and Finn Bolding Thomsen, director of Green Key, also spoke.