Cricket and tourism
Growing popularity of cricket in Bangladesh can reshape its tourism and hospitality industry. Cricket and style go together, so should the cricket fans and their tours. That cricket boosts tourism can be seen from the instances of the West Indies, Dubai, Sharjah and India. The West Indies is the archetype for tourism development through cricket. They have been marketing tourism through cricket since the first World Cup held in 1975. Sharjah , India, Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka, all attract more tourists since they emerged as well known cricket venues.
Sports tourists now choose these destinations for recreation and entertainment. In Bangladesh too cricket is becoming more popular. Now playing in the World Cup we are seen as the giant killers. Not known for following a well planned path for tourist development, Bangladesh could exploit cricket to promote it.
Cricket and tourism may go hand in hand in Bangladesh. We can, one day, expect to clinch the World Cup! We are not far from our dream of developed tourism. Nature gave us a diversity. Except deserts, we possess its entire gift. Our tourist potential could be better exploited using cricket.
The cricket commentators and media partners play a significant role in lifting a country's image. Say, how is the venue, its importance, what the people or the players of the country do, what they shop and where they go -- everything catches up the imagination of the millions of cricket fans across the world. The commentators bring the country and the venue into spotlight. Dhaka is now known among cricket fans the world over. Our resort city, Cox's Bazaar, can be a venue for international cricket. Cricket can make Cox's Bazaar more known across the world. We should think of developing Cox's Bazaar as a cricket venue. Cricket spectators from all over the world would then visit Cox's Bazaar to support their teams. They would love to spend their spare time in the resort city, washed by the bay.
Cricket is becoming a passion among our youth. The zeal and sense of competition with which the game is played is worth watching. Cricket is to Bangladesh what soccer is to Brazil. Sports remain the harbinger of friendship and peace. We are optimistic about developing tourism through cricket. From the existing trends we can anticipate that Bangladesh would always have a busy cricketing calendar. With the cricket teams the fans also move from one country to another, from one part of a country to another. Thousands of foreign fans will pour in from time to time from different parts of the world to support their teams. The hotels will remain booked for a couple of days, before and after the events.
Hotels and motels in Bangladesh will have to gear up for new business. Bangladesh will host World Cup 2011 with India and Pakistan. We shall stage the opening ceremony as well. So we need to concentrate urgently on establishing an international cricket venue in idyllic Cox's Bazaar. Potential investors want to set up big and quality hotels in Cox's Bazaar.
Cox's Bazaar can emerge as a centre for package tourism linking the Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Nepal.
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