Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment,
while being closely linked to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of many countries, especially
developing countries like Bangladesh. Maritime or ocean-related tourism, as well as coastal tourism, are for example
vital or highly potential sectors of the economy in coastal least developed countries (LDCs). Considering geographical
location, tourism in Bangladesh is highly potential and very fast growing sector to contribute to its economy. However,
due to the developing economy and huge population, exploitation of natural resources is one of the pressing issues for a
sustainable future Bangladesh. Therefore, it is vital to develop this very important sector in a sustainable way.
According to the World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism is “Tourism that takes full account of its current and
future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and
host communities". In many areas, tourism industries develop in or around the natural areas, thus, we also emphasize
on the notion of Ecotourism. We recognize Fennell’s definition on this- “Ecotourism is a sustainable form of natural
resource-based tourism that focuses primarily on experiencing and learning about nature, and which is ethically
managed to be low-impact, non-consumptive, and locally-oriented (control, benefits, and scale). It typically occurs in
natural areas, and should contribute to the conservation or preservation of such areas” (Fennell, 1999: 43. Ecotourism:
An Introduction).
