Growth of Tourism and Hospitality Industry: Impact on Environment and Demographic Trend of Chittagong Hill Tracts

Abstract

This paper tries to focus on environmental impact and the demographic phenomenon of tourism. Bangladesh is now on the highway to achieve the Sustainable development goals by 2030 after fulfilling significant achievement of Millennium Development Goals. The government has made some ambitious targets to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. It is important to note that sustainable development comprises several criteria. There is a significant need for environmental protection which is one of the three pillars of sustainable development. The other two are economic growth and social progress. Tourism and hospitality sector is seen to have emerged as a new area of sustainable development in recent time to contribute to social development. The scope of the positive contribution of tourism and hospitality is ample and relates to several dimensions such as earning of foreign exchange, employment generation, increasing productivity, hotel accommodation and transportation etc. However, the recent studies reveal that tourism has dramatically affected social, cultural, economic and environmental aspects of hospitality. Especially in Chittagong Hill Tract area; which is a great tourist attraction of the country; experiencing the impacts of unfair practice of tourism. The lack of proper policy and lack of awareness about sustainable growth of tourism activities is profoundly effecting the environment and life of the local ethnic groups of that area. Nevertheless, with proper planning and implementation of rules & regulations, the scenario can be shifted to the positive side. The paper attempts to analyze the contribution of tourism and hospitality as a weapon of sustainable development agenda and to assess how it effects on the environment and demographic pattern or local communities of Chittagong Hill Tracts.