Most hotels in Cox’s Bazar and St Martin are said to have hiked their room rates, plus other charges, over the past couple of weeks, leading the tourists to spend twice as much as they do in low season.
Sources said the new pricing will continue till December 31.
In winter season, Cox’s Bazar and St Martin turn out to be the key hub for vacationing domestic tourists.
In line with the increased demand for accommodation, hotel room rates of different luxury and semi-luxury hotels have already risen to TK8,000 per night from December 15, which is twice the usual rate of Tk4,000.
Unlike the deluxe models, other hotels also followed the suit, hiking their room rates up to 70%-80%.
Humayun Kabir, manager of Coxtoday Hotel, told the Dhaka Tribune room rates depend on demand and supply.
He put it this way that since schools remain closed in December and January, most family rush to different tourist destinations to enjoy their vacations. That’s why prices go up.
The influx of tourists to Cox’s Bazar is much higher this season than that in the previous year, he said, adding that political stalemate was the reason behind the fall of their business in 2014.
The tour operator, Tito Siddique, managing director of Excellence Asia Limited, said the number of tourists from Cox’s Bazar and nearby areas, is around 1,50,000 while their total guest capacity is maximum one lakh.
High room rate is one of the main obstacles to aspiring tourism business in the country. If the government is really keen to promote tourism in Bangladesh, there is an urgent need to introduce a price guidelines, suggested Siddique.
According to the Hotel Owners Association of Cox’s Bazar, there are seven five-star hotels and 20 three-star hotels, and most of them hiked their room rates almost 100%.
However, there is no monitoring by the Beach Management Committee led by the deputy commissioner (DC) of Cox’s Bazar. As a result hotel authorities have been enjoying a free rein.
At St martin, the rent of luxury hotel room per night goes around TK5,000, twice that in the last year while the rates for ordinary ones have gone up in similar fashion.
Another tourist region – Bandarban – in the hill districts of Chittagong has similar picture.
“These rates are three times higher than usual, which is unacceptable,” said Mizanur Rahman, a tourist who is now visiting Cox’s Bazar.
He added that restaurants are also selling foods at a higher rate.
Kazi Wahidul Alam, a tourism expert and editor of fortnightly newspaper, The Bangladesh Monitor, told the Dhaka Tribune as there are a handful number of hotels in the tourist destinations, the hoteliers are cahsing in on the situaiton.
“We have to construct ‘budget hotels’ to in the best interest of our tourists. As the hospitality business does not keep booming round the year, the hotel owners capitalise on the peak season of winter,” he said.
The government should take initiatives to save tourism industry, providing vat/tax waiver during off-seasons, Alam suggested.
Professor Mojib Uddin Ahmed, member, board of directors of Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) also emphasised building economy hotels to address the problem.
Asked about hotel price guidelines, Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon said the government is mulling over price guidelines that would be introduced to the hoteliers.