ABSTRACT
Foreign direct investment (FDI) endows the prospects to play a significant role to accelerate the growth and development of tourism industry, specifically nature tourism. Increasing contribution of tourism to domestic production indicates the vital importance of the sector to economic development which determines the economic well-being of a nation. Hence, FDI is required to spur the potential of nature tourism. Regardless of robust growth, Bangladesh has to struggle to achieve foreign investment. In this backdrop, the study aims to explore the potential of nature tourism in Bangladesh and develop a model to show how the utilisation of FDI in natural sites promotes nature tourism in order to achieve economic development. Following the inductive reasoning approach with critical review of empirical literature, observation of secondary data on FDI, and in-depth exploration of natural sites, the study arrives at a model which explains and predicts how economic development can be viable through nature tourism growth. Feasibility of the country for nature tourism, Bangladesh as a potential future destination for tourists, and economic development are the three important discoveries of the study. It concludes with the recommendation of government intervention, liberal investment strategy, and international cooperation.
