Revenue Assessment of the Current Tourism Industry of Bandarban Hill District, Bangladesh, and its Economic Impact on the Local Indigenous Community

The tourism industry has been acknowledged as a contributor to destination economies in many countries. Thetourism industry of Bandarban Hill District is a flourishing sector. The majority of people are heavily dependent on Jhumbasedagriculture. Further, there is no emerging sector that can create new workplaces or factories overnight. As thegeographical location, culture, people & society, and political scenarios of this area are different from most country districts,special observation and planning are needed to improve its economic situation. As the tourism industry of this area bloomsautomatically, the industry can be turned into a productive sector. So the people of this area can have more options for jobs.As a result, people will experience work diversity and social benefits in the long run. The research project aims to study theamount of revenue generated by this industry and identify its beneficiaries, their positions in the tourism industry, and thestatus of supply chain management. The study revealed that the district annually generated a large amount of revenue justafter post covid. Comparing this amount to the research done 9 years ago, the revenue has increased almost 4 times. Amongthe 7 upazilas, Bandarban Sadar, Thanchi, and Rowangchari are holding first, second, and third positions respectively in termsof the amount of revenue. Most of the frontiers of this industry are elite class and many of them are outsiders. Locals arerunning mid to small-sized businesses and the amount of revenue generated by them is not greater. Although this industryis creating job opportunities for locals, the contribution could be doubled or increased if the industry is managed andpromoted systematically by proper authority. Community empowerment is possible by bridging the gaps in the supply chainby spreading the benefits and advantages of this important industry among the common people. In addition, Bangladesh hasset the Sustainable Development Goals-SDGs target by 2030, where Bandarban can become a model through theimplementation of the proposed institutional framework.