The tourism sector in Cox's Bazar, one of the country’s prime tourist destinations, had been relatively quiet for the past month, with many tourism-related businesses experiencing a lull. Tourist spots, including the famous beach, were nearly deserted, leaving hotel staff and workers with little to do.
However, this situation is set to change during the upcoming extended Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, according to industry stakeholders.
They report that Eid holiday, starting from Friday, March 28, has ushered in a 9-day break, including the regular weekly holidays. Though the initial days may not see a heavy tourist rush, from April 1 to 5, Cox's Bazar is expected to witness a significant influx of tourists. More than 500 hotels, motels, guest houses, and resorts have already reported advance bookings. As of Friday, many star-rated hotels have fully booked their rooms, with other establishments having secured between 55% to 60% of their bookings.
Business owners are anticipating that between 1.5 to 2 lakh tourists will visit the city each day during this 5-day period, bringing the total number of tourists to approximately 7.5 lakh.
In preparation for the influx of tourists, local businesses are ready to welcome guests. Renovations and aesthetic improvements have already been completed across hotels, motels, resorts, restaurants and even Burmese goods shops.
Abul Kashem Sikder, president of Cox’s Bazar Residential Hotel Motel Guest House Owners Association, stated that from April 1 to 5, the city is expected to be filled with tourists.
He added that the crowd could range between 7 to 7.5 lakh visitors during this period.
In response to concerns about possible price hikes during the tourist season, he clarified that each hotel has a published room tariff, which tourists can refer to before making payments. Additionally, most hotels have set up online booking systems to ensure transparency.
Enayet Ullah, manager of Hotel Sea Gull, mentioned that their hotel had already booked all its rooms for the first two days after Eid. The subsequent dates are also filling up fast, with expectations of a fully booked hotel for the week following Eid.
Abu Taleb Shah, the manager of Hotel Cox Today, mentioned that maintenance work, including cleaning the swimming pool and painting the rooms, has been completed. The hotel is fully prepared to host guests, and bookings are already underway.
Abdu Rashid, a Burmese goods vendor at Laboni Point, shared that he had used the quiet period during Ramadan to repair his shop and now looks forward to displaying new products like pickles, toys for children, shoes, and clothes, anticipating a good business season during Eid.
Sharif, a shopkeeper at Sundarbans Dry Fish, stated that he has stocked a wide range of dry fish products, including loitta and churi, in anticipation of the increased demand from tourists.
Zainal Abedin, a senior life guard at Sea Safe Life Guard Agency, noted that the lifeguards used Ramadan period for training and are now ready to provide services to tourists during the busy Eid season.
Abu Morshed Chowdhury, president of Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that they expect 7 to 8 lakh tourists to visit the city during Eid holidays.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring safety for tourists while also preventing any exploitation through overcharging by hotels, motels, restaurants or transportation services.
He further predicted that the tourism sector could generate approximately Tk 750 to 800 crore in business from 13 related sectors during this period.
Cox's Bazar District Police spokesperson and Additional Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Jasim Uddin Chowdhury, reassured that law enforcement agencies are focused on ensuring the safety of tourists. Efforts are underway to prevent theft and ensure smooth traffic management for safe travel to and from tourist spots.
Tourist Police’s Additional DIG for Cox's Bazar Zone, Apel Mahmud, said that to ensure the safety of the additional tourists, Tourist Police will increase patrols, conduct surveillance in plain clothes and set up complaint boxes at various points of interest.
The District Commissioner of Cox's Bazar, Mohammad Salahuddin, confirmed that mobile courts will be deployed to monitor the prices of hotel rooms and food during the Eid period. He warned that any complaints of overcharging or harassment of tourists would be dealt with immediately.
With preparations in full swing, Cox's Bazar is set to be a bustling hub of activity, ready to offer a safe and welcoming environment for holidaymakers.
SU/SH
