Due to political instability, the ongoing dollar crisis, price hikes, and visa complications, approximately 70% of tours departing from Bangladesh have been cancelled, according to the Bangladesh Tour Operator Association.
However, the association believes the situation will normalize within the next two to three months.
Leaders of several tour operator organizations in Bangladesh reported that the tourism industry is currently experiencing its worst period. There are no domestic or international tourists travelling.
Since the Awami League government resigned on August 5, the Indian Embassy has stopped issuing visas. Although some visas are granted for medical emergencies, all passports that applied for visas a month ago are being returned. If this continues, within the next two months, Bangladesh-India tourist tours will drop to zero. Additionally, Bangladesh has already been facing tourist visa issues in Dubai and Sri Lanka, they added.
The associations have warned that if the situation does not improve quickly, the tourism business will collapse.
Imrul Islam Emon is the secretary general of the Bangladesh Outbound Tour Operators Association and chairman of Creative Tour Agency. He said: “The tourism industry in Bangladesh has been facing various obstacles due to the dollar crisis and price hikes. The situation worsened when the dollar rate reached Tk100. Additionally, there are syndicates over airline tickets.”
He mentioned that they mainly arrange small family tours, but the tourism business has been in a very bad state since Eid-ul-Azha, having been shut down for two months.
“Now, after the government's fall, the situation is even more lamentable. Just two days ago, they sold two tickets, whereas they used to sell around Tk40 to 50 lakh worth of tickets per month. If this trend continues, the tourism business will collapse.”
According to the Bangladesh Outbound Tour Operators Association, they have about 46 tour operator agencies, all experiencing the same situation.
Tour operator organizations reveal that India is the most popular destination for Bangladeshi tourists. Every year, about 50% of tourists travelling abroad from Bangladesh visit India, followed by 20% to Thailand, and 10-15% to Malaysia and Singapore. Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka see 5-8% of the tourist traffic, while Vietnam, Bali, and Turkey see 2-3%. The Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, sees 10-15% of Bangladeshi tourists, while North America and Australia issue visas to 2-5%. Pakistan recently offered a visa-free travel facility to Bangladesh, which could add a new dimension to the tourism industry, according to tour operator leaders.
Tour Operators of Bangladesh Secretary General Nizamuddin Bhuiyan said: “Their peak business season is from October to January, but December and January see the most business due to school and college holidays. July and August are their second peak times because the A-Level and O-Level exams conclude then. Many travel abroad for family tours during this time, but the political situation has halted all foreign travel. Even domestic tours to places like Tanguar Haor, Sylhet, and Sajek have been stopped. Customers have cancelled about 70% of their tours, and some are rescheduling but without specifying when they will travel.”
Due to political instability in Bangladesh, many countries are hesitant to issue visas, leading to a high number of visa cancellations. Immigration complications have also increased, resulting in cancelled tour plans.
Imrul Islam Emon added that many countries have banned activities for Bangladeshi tourists. Sri Lanka has closed on-arrival visas for Bangladeshis, and India has banned them due to the current political instability. Dubai is also experiencing significant visa complications. These issues are causing significant losses for both the operators and the government.
The Indian Embassy issues an average of 5,000 to 5,500 visas daily. Bangladesh is the largest source of foreign tourists to India. However, since August 5, the embassy has stopped issuing visas, although they have resumed issuing a limited number of visas since Thursday.
Nizamuddin Bhuiyan mentioned that travelling is a hobby, and no one wants to travel with complications. In this situation, not only international but also domestic tours have been cancelled. He hopes that within the next two to three months, the situation will return to normal.
