|| Imtiaz Ahmed and Samia tabassum: Bangladesh has the potential to become a tourism hub in South Asia, said Suman Saha Ajay, Director of Sales & Marketing of Ascott Dhaka, while talking to this correspondent      The rest of the interview is given below:1. What inspired you to pursue hospitalityHospitality connects business performance with human emotions. I am passionate about creating memorable guest experiences while also delivering strong commercial results. As a Director of Sales & Marketing, I enjoy the challenge of building relationships, developing business opportunities, motivating teams, and ultimately turning those efforts into sustainable revenue and profitability.            3. How do you see the growth of the hotel business in Bangladesh this year?Compared with previous years, 2026 has been a relatively slow year for the hotel business. The number of new foreign projects and international business activities has not increased significantly, and there have been fewer major international events generating hotel demand. As a result, occupancy and overall business growth have remained under pressure.However, I would consider this a challenging phase rather than a permanent situation. With improved economic and political stability, increased foreign investment, international events and stronger tourism activity, the industry can regain momentum.4. How do you drive revenue growth in your organization?I focus on a balanced commercial strategy—ADR optimization, RevPAR growth, upselling and cross-selling, and strengthening our key business segments such as corporate, diplomatic, long-stay, groups, MICE and social events.Most importantly, I believe Sales, Revenue and Operations must work under one commercial strategy. Revenue growth is not only about selling more rooms; it is about selling the right product, to the right customer, at the right price and at the right time, while maintaining guest satisfaction.5. Bangladesh has had less success in the hospitality sector compared with the rest of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Do you think Bangladesh can become a tourism hub in South Asia?Yes, definitely. I strongly believe Bangladesh has the potential to become a tourism hub in South Asia. We have unique natural and cultural assets, including Cox's Bazar, the Sundarbans, Sylhet, the Chattogram Hill Tracts, rivers, heritage sites, cuisine and a rich cultural identity. With better infrastructure, connectivity, safety, destination marketing and service standards, Bangladesh can become a strong tourism destination in South Asia.6. Do you think Bangladesh lacks skilled and trained manpower in the hospitality sector?Skilled manpower remains a challenge. We have a young and capable workforce, but we need more practical and industry-oriented training. We should strengthen cooperation between hotels, hospitality institutes and government agencies, with greater focus on guest service, culinary skills, housekeeping, sales and marketing, revenue management, technology and international service standards. Developing skilled manpower will improve service quality and also create significant employment opportunities for young Bangladeshis.7. Hotel room rates in Bangladesh are comparatively high compared with Kathmandu, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai. Why are hotel rooms expensive in Bangladesh?There are several reasons. Hotel rates are influenced by land and construction costs, financing, utilities, manpower, imported equipment and supplies, security, taxes, VAT and other operating expenses. Dhaka, particularly in premium business and diplomatic locations, has very high land and operating costs. At the same time, our hotel market does not always have the same volume of tourism demand or economies of scale as destinations such as Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.Therefore, the solution is not simply to reduce room rates. We need to increase demand, improve occupancy, reduce unnecessary operating costs and create a more competitive investment environment.8. The government has presented a new budget. What can the government do to boost the hospitality sector?The government can support the sector by creating a more investment-friendly and tourism-friendly environment. I would recommend incentives for hotel and tourism investment, reviewing taxes and VAT, improving transportation and destination infrastructure, facilitating tourist visas, strengthening international tourism marketing, encouraging PPP projects, and investing more in hospitality education and skills development.9. Do you think construction of a good number of five-star hotels will lead to healthy competition in the hospitality sector?Yes, provided that hotel development is aligned with market demand. More international-standard hotels can create healthy competition, improve service standards, introduce international best practices and give guests more choices. However, simply adding five-star rooms will not automatically solve the industry's challenges. We also need to increase demand through foreign investment, business tourism, MICE events, international conferences, leisure tourism and better destination marketing. Therefore, the priority should be to develop the entire tourism ecosystem alongside hotel capacity.10. Do you think the law and order situation is a barrier to the promotion of the hospitality sector in Bangladesh?Safety and security are extremely important for tourism and hospitality. International tourists, expatriates, corporate travellers and international organizations naturally consider the security environment when choosing a destination. A stable, safe and welcoming environment will increase confidence among international tourists, expatriates and corporate travellers and support the growth of the hospitality sector.11. How can the public and private sectors work together to boost the hospitality sector?Well, see Public-private cooperation can directly boost tourism by increasing investment, creating jobs, improving tourism infrastructure and attracting more domestic and international visitors. The government should focus on policy, connectivity and security, while the private sector brings investment, professional management and marketing. Working together can increase tourism revenue, strengthen local businesses and create sustainable economic growth.12. How can Bangladesh learn from the tourism success stories of India, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore?We should learn from countries such as India, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore in destination marketing, infrastructure, service quality and tourism management. At the same time, Bangladesh should develop its own unique tourism identity based on our nature, culture, heritage and hospitality. Our goal should not be to copy them, but to identify what works and adapt those lessons to our own strengths—our beaches, rivers, Sundarbans, culture, heritage, cuisine and people.13. Can you give some suggestions to improve the tourism sector in Bangladesh?Sure, I think; should focus on better infrastructure and connectivity, international marketing, easier visas, safety, skilled manpower, sustainable destination development, MICE tourism and stronger public-private partnerships.Most importantly, Bangladesh should move from simply promoting tourist attractions to creating complete and internationally competitive tourism experiences.