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Bank officer Nurul Ahad wanted to visit Cox’s Bazar or Sajek to spend some quality time with his family during the Eid holi-days, away from his busy life. But he had to cancel the plan due to excessively hot weather, not enough leave and money issues.
Like him, many people around the country were also forced to call off their trips both in and outside the country due to these reasons. Moreover, many families with 10th-grade students decided to not travel as SSC exams are only a few days away.
Their cancellations over these reasons were why all the major tourist spots, including sea beaches and hill tracts, did not see the expected number of tourists this time. Thousands of people visit these places during the Eid holidays every year.
Talking to The Business Post on Tuesday, the fourth day of Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, hotel and resort owners in different tourism destinations said that their establishments still have 30-40 per cent vacant rooms.
Usually, 80-90 per cent rooms of the hotels and resorts get booked before Eid every year. But this time, even discounts have failed to bring in more tourists, they said. Industry insiders said that inflation and global recession were also among the major reasons behind the drop in the number of tourists during this holiday season.
Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh President Shiblul Azam Koreshi said there is no way to say the exact figure or the percentage showing the rise or fall. “We believe 15-20 per cent of the total tourism business comes during Eid holidays. But this time around, it’s only 5-7 per cent.”
When asked, he cited the aforementioned ones as the reasons behind the loss and added that the Eid falling during the off-season also played a role.
Cox’s Bazar sea beach is the go-to place for all types of tourists from around the country. Apart from the off-season, this place remains packed with tourists always. But this Eid did not see the usual number of tourists, local businesses said.
Usually, around 2-2.5 lakh tourists visit Cox’s Bazar during Eid but this time maybe around 1 lakh tourists are visiting the prime tourism destination.
Cox’s Bazar Hotel Motel Guest House Owners Association President Abul Kasem Sikder told The Business Post that the daily capacity of more than 500 hotels and motels in the coastal town is around 1,60,000 tourists.
“Only 60-70 per cent of the rooms have been booked. Even after offering up to 40 per cent discount on rents, the expected number of tourists did not come. Those who are visiting are mostly people from the Chittagong Division,” he said.
The situation is the same at Kuakata Sea Beach as well.
Md Manikuzzam, who was visiting from Patuakhali, said he was there only for the day. “We used to see many tourists whenever we came here before. But it’s Eid season and it seems there are fewer than the normal number of tourists.”
Rumman Imtiaz, president of the Tour Operators Association of Kuakata, said that over 15,000-20,000 tourists visited the beach town during the Eid holidays. But most came in the morning, spent the day visiting the local tourist spots and then left in the evening. “Room booking in hotels is very low than other times.”
He said that 30-40 per cent of rooms in hotels and motels are still vacant. “We have attractive facilities and discounts in place, but there aren’t just enough tourists.”
Meanwhile, tourism-related businesses in the Sajek Valley in Rangamati also witnessed a falling trend in the number of tourists during the Eid holidays, said Mingthan Jaoa Lusai alias Jary, secretary of Cottage Malik Samitee of Sajek.
He said that 80-85 per cent of rooms in the hotels and resorts there were booked but it was still lower than the expected percentage. “People who would have stayed for at least four-five days are now staying one or two days due to money is-sues, hot weather and shorter Eid holiday. Our businesses have taken a hit.”
