Barriers to Sustainable Tourism Development in Coastal Destinations of Bangladesh.
Author
Ahmed, Md Sahed
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-31
Abstract
This thesis investigates why sustainable tourism development remains limited in coastal destinations of Bangladesh, despite their considerable economic potential, focusing on Cox’s Bazar, Kuakata and the Sundarbans. Drawing on Sustainable Tourism Development Theory and Stakeholder Theory, it explores how environmental, governance, infrastructural and stakeholder-related factors interact to shape the overall sustainability of tourism. The study uses a qualitative multiple case study design and collects primary data through semi-structured interviews with eight types of stakeholders, including local residents, tourism business operators, government officials, administrative authorities, NGO representatives and tourists, complemented by secondary sources. Thematic analysis identifies five interlinked categories of barriers: environmental pressures such as waste accumulation, overcrowding and ecosystem disturbance; governance and institutional weaknesses, including fragmented coordination, weak enforcement capacity and unclear responsibilities; infrastructure limitations where service capacity fails to keep pace with growing tourist demand; stakeholder issues such as low community participation in decision-making and uneven distribution of tourism benefits; and a persistent policy–practice gap in which sustainability commitments are poorly translated into on-the-ground action. The thesis concludes that these barriers form a systemic pattern that reproduces unsustainability, with governance deficits acting as a central mechanism at the destination level. Across a high-flow destination, a developing destination and a protected destination, the study shows that effective responses require targeted improvements in governance capacity, integrated infrastructure planning and more inclusive stakeholder engagement.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvorfor udviklingen af bæredygtig turisme i kystdestinationer i Bangladesh – herunder Cox’s Bazar, Kuakata og Sundarbans – fortsat er begrænset, selv om turismen rummer store økonomiske muligheder. Med udgangspunkt i bæredygtig turismeudviklingsteori og interessentteori analyserer studiet, hvordan miljømæssige, styringsmæssige, infrastrukturelle og interessentrelaterede faktorer indbyrdes påvirker hinanden og samlet former graden af bæredygtighed. Afhandlingen anvender et kvalitativt multi-case design, hvor otte typer af interessenter, herunder lokale beboere, turismeerhverv, offentlige myndigheder, NGO’er og turister, deltager i semistrukturerede interviews, suppleret med sekundære data. Analysen identificerer fem sammenvævede kategorier af barrierer: miljøpres i form af affald, trængsel og økosystemforstyrrelser; styrings- og institutionelle svagheder, bl.a. fragmenteret koordinering, svag håndhævelseskapacitet og uklare ansvar; begrænset infrastruktur, hvor kapaciteten ikke matcher den stigende turistefterspørgsel; problemer omkring interessenter, herunder lav lokal deltagelse i beslutninger og skæv fordeling af turismegevinster; samt et vedvarende gab mellem politiske bæredygtighedsambitioner og faktisk praksis. Afhandlingen konkluderer, at disse barrierer fungerer som et system, der reproducerer ikke-bæredygtighed, og at styringsmæssige mangler er en central mekanisme. På tværs af en højt belastet destination, en udviklende destination og en beskyttet destination viser studiet, at effektive løsninger kræver styrket governancekapacitet, bedre integreret infrastrukturplanlægning og mere inkluderende inddragelse af lokale og andre nøgleinteressenter.
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