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Jahangirnagar Planning Review ISSN 1728-4198 Vol. 2, June 2004, pp. 67-82, © Jahangirnagar University

This article is brought to you by www.bdresearch.org Eco-Tourism: An Investigation into the Conceptual Framework and Policy Requirements for its Growth in Bangladesh
Golam Moinuddin* Halima Begum**
Abstract
Sustainability considerations have been making ways in each and every development initiative in the last two-decades or so. In line of this trend, the concept of eco-tourism emerged and later on, turned out to be an environment friendly and economically beneficial industry taking over a considerable bulk of mass-tourism activity and offsetting some of its negativities. Such a transformation has ultimately positioned eco-tourism to be the substitute of mass-tourism in many tourist destinations. In view of such reality, this article attempts to investigate on the conceptual dynamics and benefits of eco-tourism and explores reflective state of these theoretical underpinnings on the basis of two case studies drawn from successful eco-tourist destinations. In light of such investigative out-puts, the article focuses on the prospects of eco-tourism industry and makes an effort to provide a broad policy framework for the development of the same in Bangladesh. It identifies areas of intervention required in promoting the eco-tourism industry in the country. Finally, it attempts to define and differentiate the respective roles of the private and public sectors in the flourishment and sustainable growth of the sector in the country.

Introduction Tourism industry contributes considerably to the society, economy and to the environment - either man made or natural (Harrington, 2001). Despite its positive contributions, the negativities of this industry have become quite a concern over the last couple of decades. The negative action destructs the social-norms, creates

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