Exploring Tourism Facilities in Dinajpur District of Bangladesh: A Study on Ramsagar National Park

Table of contents

1. Introduction

ourism involves the actions of person's peripatetic to and residing in locations outside their usual permanent places of home for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes (Dabour, 2003). Bangladesh is one of the emerging economies in the globe with some natural as well as artificial attractions. It is full of rivers, coasts, and beaches, archaeological sites, religious places, hills, forests, waterfalls, tea gardens, etc. However, the shocking thing is that only around half a million etc tourists visit the country every year. Therefore it can easily imagine the contribution of this sector to the country's GDP. Over the years, economists, hence, are urging to take a look at this promising sector. The good news is that more recently, it got serious attention by the policymakers at the national level, possibly because of the pressure to achieve SDGs by 2030. The outcome of this increasing attention culminates in some initiatives such as promoting and maintaining the tourism destinations, developing infrastructure such as accommodation, eateries, communication and transportation, parking facilities, etc. As the initiation attempted by the policy makers of Bangladesh, we intended to work on this particular tourism spot like Ramsagar in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh. In this study, the tourism practioners for this blemish got the suggestions to attract the massive tourists and enhance earning from this field. It also assists to contribute more to the GDP of Bangladesh by this tourism sport in Dinajpur district.

2. II. Briefing of Ramsagar National Park

Between 1750 and 1755 the Ramsar was built by a kind Hindu king Ram Nath and the big lake named in honor Ram Nath. During that century, the region was ruled by 11 Kings lead by Shukh Dev. Among them, Pran Nath and Ram Nath were the best and innovative. During their ruling, huge palaces, temples, etc. built, and lakes dug for the public interest. The water reservoir Ramsar was made to provide local inhabitants with safe drinking water. Its construction initiated by King Ram Nath involving lakhs of people's labor. The tank named after Raja Ram Nath who excavated it on the eve of the battle of polashi. At that time Alivardi Khan was the Nawab of Bengal. The tank was excavated to supply drinking water to the people living in the surrounding villages. It said that there were a continuous drought and famine in this part of the country from 1750 to 1755 AD. Perhaps Ram Nath initiated to dig the tank by 'food for work' and help to survive the famine-stricken people. By investing 30,000 Taka for the about 1.5 million labors, the Ramsar burrowed. The total size of Ramsar in its water area is 1079m the length of north-south and 192.6m by the side of east-west. The depths of the cistern are about 9.5m. There was a ghat in the middle of the western bank, and the remains of it still exist. Made of sandstone slabs of different sizes, the structure measured about 45.8m by 18.3m. The tank surrounded by 10.75m high mound. Beyond the edge the surrounding is a plain area having some undulating landscape. Ramsagar is the attractive tourist spot cared by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC). There are some initiative has been taken by the BPC to enhance the beautification of this spot. The new rest house constructed on the western side of the tank and some small recreation spots for the children on the four sides of the huge water body are the results of those initiatives.

3. III.

The Objective of the Study a) To know the offered tourism facilities in Ramsagar. b) To measure tourist satisfaction level towards the tourism facilities in Ramsagar. c) To analysis tourist expectation about the tourism facilities in Ramsagar.

More specially, the hypothesis of the study is as follows:

H 0 = Tourists are satisfied towards the current facilities of Ramsagar.

H 1 = Tourists are not pleased towards the present attributes of Ramsagar.

IV.

4. Research Methodology

This study utilized a survey instrument to address the research question. Convenience and judgment sampling techniques are used to collect the primary data. There are 50 respondents were interviewed who have visited at least two times in this spot to collect the data. According to Rosco, sample size > 30 and <500 are appropriate for most research (Sekaran, 2003). All the questions are asked only for this particular research area. Factors related to the tourist's satisfactions and expectations are passed by the pretesting procedure. Five-point Likert scales were developed on the attributes of this tourist location for collecting data matching with the research question. The method of frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation are applied to analyze the data.

V. The table showed that 50 respondents were considered to collect the primary data where 54% were male, and 46 % were female. Most of the tourists more than 68% were young while only 10% were more than the age 46. There are 60% respondents were undergraduates and below undergraduate and 70% were unmarried while 70% is having monthly income more than Tk.10, 000. The above table is the result of pre-testing procedure. There are 25 respondents (tourists) were interviewed to diagnose the factors motivate to choose the particular location for visiting as a tourist. Mainly, the top seven features marked 96% considered for analyzing genuinely.

5. Result and Discussion

6. a) Characteristics of Respondents

7. c) Top Factors for Choosing a Location

Note: Figure 1

The model shows that the seven factors enticed to desire the Ramsagar a tourism spot in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh.

8. VI.

9. Tourism Facilities in Ramsagar

The main attraction of this spot is pool contains about 80 acre water land. Its length is 3,399 feet and width is 998 feet. The visitors can boat on this lake and sometimes enjoy for catching the fish. Also, there are about 68.54 acre parklands with various beauty sites and natural arrangement with some rides for the children. Moreover, a mini zoo with different animals enhanced the attraction of this spot. There is a rest house for the tourists with cooking arrangement and recreation. There are assortments of indigenous foods and beverages are available in this position. The surroundings of this lake have sundry rare plants and trees beatified the place and added value of this tourist spot. Visitors' satisfaction measured on the mentioned seven factors like adequate information, historical side, security and safety, food and beverage, accommodation and behavior of the guide. Tourists were satisfied towards the cost of entry and other items and accommodation facilities provided by the spot. They were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied towards the adequate information about the spot, historical side of the place, food and beverage and behavior of the guide. Finally, overall, the satisfaction level of the visitors was not in a good position. Basically, they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied towards the tourism facilities of Ramsagar. The above results mentioned in the table proved that the visitors were more conscious about the food and beverage. They also expected low-cost facilities, security and safety, accommodation, and simple transportation system. They are neither expected nor unexpected about adequate information about this spot and likable place. Finally, their expectation is not up to the mark on the reveal factors. The above table showed that security and accommodation are the main problems almost all are coded to visit the Ramsagar tourist spot in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh. Transportation problem is also high with the high-quality food, information, medical service and immediate cash management problem by the ATM, etc. The tourists also mentioned about the tour guide limitation and scarcity of enough rides for the kids so that they are encouraged to the visit this spot. The result indicated that all the variables rejected. That means the visitors were not satisfied towards the existing tourism facilities in Ramsagar of Dinajpur district in Bangladesh.

10. b) Tourist's Expectation about the Tourism Facilities in Ramsagar

11. c) The problem faced by the tourists to visit the Ramsagar

12. d) Testing Result

13. VII. Conclusion and Recommendation

The objective of this study was to explore the tourism facilities in the tourist spot of Ramsagar in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh. We also diagnosed the factors influenced to choose this spot for exploring the tourism facilities for this side. We found seven issues enticed to visit this place. But the visitors were not satisfied to the entire factors related with the tourism facilities of this location. Sometimes tourists were contented with the particular things and sometimes they were somehow neutral towards the aspects available to the mentioned location. We also assessed the aspired benefits by the visitors to visit this spot and made them category as the level of expectation of the tourists. We also unearthed the problems so that the visitors were of interest to stopover this place. Security and accommodation were the problems visitors quoted to select this position. Transportation, food, and beverage, medical and ATM were also mentionable. The table mentioned somehow visitors were satisfied and neutral on the specific issues, but the test result proved that they were not happy at all towards those things related to the satisfaction of the tourists. As a result, the authority of this spot should take necessary initiatives to improve the stated issues recounted the satisfaction of the tourists. Especially, security, accommodation and transportation problems should be solved immediately. New sorts of rides for the kids and young should add to the existing amenities of this spot. Additional toil should deploy for maintaining the sites. A record book should keep for making available of information about this place. Ultimately these actions would be obliged to attract the more tourists and enhancing more earrings from this spot.

14. Global Journal of Management and Business Research

Volume XVIII Issue I Version I Year ( ) 2018

Figure 1.
Note: (2014) worked on various locations in Rangpur and Dinajpur district, Masud (2015) did the study on the overall tourism marketing in Bangladesh. But none accomplished a research by considering this particular study acutely. In this study, the tourism amenities and expected facilities by the tourists are assessed in this tourism spot of Bangladesh. This study focused the very precise problems and prospects and provided guidelines to improve the tourism facilities of this place.
Figure 2. Table 1
1
Demographic variables Number Percentage
Gender Male Female 27 23 54 46
18-24 11 22
25-31 13 26
Age 32-38 15 30
39-45 6 12
46-above 5 10
Undergraduate and Below 30 60
Level of Education Masters 15 30
PhD 5 10
Marital Status Single Married 35 25 70 50
Business person 12 24
Student 7 14
Profession Teacher 7 14
Housewife 7 14
Employee 17 34
Below-Tk.10,000 13 26
Income Level Tk.10,000-Tk.20,000 Tk.20,000-Tk.30,000 17 12 34 24
Tk.30000-Above 6 12
Figure 3. Table 2 S
2
.L Factors Total Respondents Actual Respondents Percentage
1. Adequate Information 25 25 100%
2. Likable Place 25 25 100%
3. Low Cost 25 25 100%
4. Security and Safety 25 25 100%
5. Food and Beverage 25 25 100%
6. Accommodation 25 24 96%
7. Easy Transportation 25 24 96%
8. Available Guide 25 20 80%
9. ATM Facility 25 20 80%
10. Available Rides 25 19 76%
11. Medical Facility 25 18 72%
12. Boating and Fishing 25 18 72%
13. Cooking 25 17 68%
14. Parking Facility 25 16 64%
15. Gardening 25 15 60%
Figure 4. Table 3
3
Factors Level of Satisfaction Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Mean SD
Adequate Information 7 8 13 9 13 2.74 1.38
Historical Site 9 9 9 13 10 2.88 1.41
Low Cost 15 12 10 12 1 3.56 1.21
Security and Safety 5 7 5 20 13 2.42 1.30
Food and Beverage 9 10 10 11 10 2.94 1.41
Accommodation 8 14 7 13 8 3.02 1.36
Behavior of Guide 4 10 14 9 13 2.66 1.29
Overall Satisfaction 10 5 10 12 13 2.74 1.47
Source: Field Survey, 2018
Figure 5. Table 4
4
Level of Expectation
Factors Highly Expected Expected Neutral Unexpected Highly Unexpected Mean SD
Adequate Information 12 17 10 5 6 3.48 1.30
Likable Place 10 19 9 4 8 3.38 1.34
Low Cost 17 19 5 4 5 3.78 1.28
Security and Safety 18 15 4 7 6 3.64 1.41
Food and Beverage 25 17 5 2 1 4.26 0.94
Accommodation 16 18 6 5 5 3.70 1.30
Easy Transportation 15 20 4 7 4 3.70 1.27
Overall Tourism Facilities 10 15 7 10 8 3.18 1.34
Source: Field Survey, 2018
Figure 6. Table 5
5
Sl. No Name of the problem Frequency Percentage
1 Security problem 50 100%
2 Accommodation problem 50 100%
3 Transportation problem 48 96%
4 Food problem 47 94%
5 Information problem 47 94%
6 Medical service 47 94%
7 Money withdrawal facilities 47 94%
8 Scarcity of Guide 45 94%
9 Kids Park 44 88%
10 Price / Entry Fees 40 80%
11 Others 35 70%
Source: Field Survey, 2018
Figure 7. Table 6
6
Attributes Critical Value Calculated Value Result
Adequate Information 1.96 6.97 H0 = Rejected
Historical Side 1.96 7.35 H0 = Rejected
Low Cost 1.96 13.74 H0 = Rejected
Security and Safety 1.96 6.09 H0 = Rejected
Food and Beverage 1.96 7.65 H0 = Rejected
Accommodation 1.96 8.64 H0 = Rejected
Behavior of Guide 1.96 7.53 H0 = Rejected
1
2

Appendix A

  1. Economic prospects and constraints of Cox's Bazar Bangladesh. A M Sofique , A J Parveen . Tourism Management 2009. 13 (1) p. .
  2. Muslim Friendly Tourism: Understanding the Demand and Supply Sides in the OIC Member Countries, COMCEC Coordination Office, Comcec . 2016. February 2016.
  3. SoCoMo marketing for travel and tourism: Empowering cocreation of value. D Buhalis , M Foerste . Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 2015. 2015. 4 p. .
  4. Applications of the life-cycle model in tourism. L A Tooman . Annals of tourism research issue 1997. 24 (1) p. .
  5. Marketing promotion strategies of the tourism industry in Bangladesh: An empirical study of some selected tour operators. M A Hossain , M Jakir . social science review 2002. 19 (2) .
  6. Ramsagar. M M A Mozammel . Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh, Sirajul Islam, Ahmed A Jamal (ed.) 2012. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. (Second ed.)
  7. Assessing service gap in tourism industry of Bangladesh: A comparative study between Rangpur and Dinajpur district. M M Rahamn , A Kalam . Journal of business studies 2014. 8 p. .
  8. Tourism marketing in Bangladesh: what, why and how. Asian business review, M Tarafder , M A Masud . 2015. 10 p. .
  9. Problems and prospects of sustainable tourism development in the OIC countries: Ecotourism. N Dabour . Journal of economic cooperation 2003. 24 (1) p. .
  10. Perceived impacts of tourism. The case of Samos. N Haralambopoulos , A Pizam . Annals of tourism research 2009. 23 (3) p. .
  11. Marketing Research-An Applied Orientation, N K Malhotra . 2008. Prentice Hall of India. p. . (4 th edition)
  12. P Kotler . Marketing Management, (India
    ) 1999. Prentice-Hall. (Millennium edition)
  13. Introduction to business statistics, S P Gupta , N P Gupta . 1997. India: Prentice-Hall. p. 506. (4th edition)
  14. An appraisal of tourism industry development in Bangladesh. W K M Tuhin , H T M Majumder . European journal of business and management 2011. 3 (3) p. 288.
  15. World Tourism Organization. World Tourism Organization: Madri, 1999. 1. (51 st edition)
Notes
1
© 2018 Global Journals
2
© 2018 Global JournalsExploring Tourism Facilities in Dinajpur District of Bangladesh: A Study on Ramsagar National Park
Date: 2018-01-15