The celebration of this year’s New Year’s eve in Cox’s Bazar is set to be the most dispiriting of its kind in several years, as months of persisting political turmoil and unrest have affected the seaside town like everywhere else.
Hotels, motels, resorts and guesthouses – usually decked out in anticipation of a tourist influx during the celebration – have witnessed dismal booking figures so far. Many hotel reservations were cancelled in the past one week alone.
The situation has forced hotel owners and event management firms to stop elaborate preparations, with many cancelling previously planned concerts and entertainment programmes.
The businessmen said they had been affected equally by the present conditions in the country, and that the loss to their business this year could run into millions of taka.
Cox’s Bazar is usually one of the most visited spots during the new year celebration. Most celebrations take place in the hotels, seaside areas and beaches and on average about 300,000 revellers and vacationers visit the town during this time of the year.
The business has been showing “a downward trend” in the past four months, according to Sifat Ullah, manager of the Hotel Sea Gull. “Like every year, we had preparations to celebrate the arrival of new year with revelry, through open-air concerts and all that.”
“But all plans had to be cancelled, because of the existing turmoil and security crisis in the country.”
Kibria Khan, president of Cox’s Bazar Tour Operators Association, said the association had organised around 20 celebration programmes in Inani Beach, Himchhori and Saint Martin’s Island on the new year’s eve last year. “But this year we are organising only one.”
Hotel Ocean Paradise, one of the most popular five-star hotels in the district, had, as of yesterday, advance bookings for only 100 rooms out of its 300. Sayed Alamgir, a public relations officer of the hotel, called the situation “unprecedented.”
“There is no way of knowing if even those bookings would remain.”
“Usually, we make elaborate preparations for New Year’s Eve; this year it will be different. We are organising only two programmes. The performers had been invited to come five days prior to the day to ensure that nothing goes wrong.”
However, the situation might have a long-running negative impact on the business, argues Abul Kashem Sikder, general secretary of Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners Association. “It has been a terrible year for us businessmen. I fear this situation will continue to take its toll on our bay-based tourism and hospitality businesses in the future.”
He urged the government and political parties to restrain themselves from doing anything detrimental to the industry.
Contacted for comments, Tofael Ahmad, additional police super of Cox’s Bazar, said he was not expecting large crowds to gather at the tourist spots of the district. However, there will be a five-tier security arrangement across the important points.
“We will do everything necessary to provide security to the residents and visitors of the district. Aside from police officials, there will be officials from Rab and other law enforcement agencies in order to maintain law and order.”