Despite heavy rainfall during the ongoing monsoon, the country’s tourism sector is amazingly booming now as a good number of people are planning to go outside the capital to rejoice their Eid vacation.
Most of the hotels in Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati are Bandarbans are fully occupied just ahead of Eid-ul-fitr as the travellers have booked the hotels at their favourite destinations.
Because of the heavy shower in the rainy season, not only foreign tourists but also domestic sightseers did not travel a lot in the country.
But the Eid vacation has boost the domestic tourism and the hoteliers are now seemingly busy with the sudden mad rush of the tourists.
Tourism industry stakeholders have termed it a bounce back after a pro-long political turmoil at the beginning of this year.
Although hotel business is right back on track, the hotel-owners are still offering 10 to 20% discount to attract the tourists. Even, special packages are being offered by the hotel authorities.
According to a hotel official of Cox’s Bazar, the local tourists book 100% hotel rooms for the upcoming Eid holidays.
“Two major religious festivals are the main targets to do business and we are very much happy as almost 100% hotel rooms are booked by the tourists,” said Jashim Uddin, senior manager of Seagull, a five-star deluxe hotel at Cox’s Bazar, while talking to the Dhaka Tribune
He also said, “We wait this two festival specially Eid-ul-fitr and Eid-ul-Azha for the whole year as we make profits in this two festivals.”
ASM Humayun Kabir, manager of hotel Cox Today in Cox’s Bazar also said, “Most of the tourists, who couldn’t travel during the last six months due to political unrest at the beginning of the year, have taken a long vacation to visit the countryside.”
“Most of the hotel rooms are booked in between July 17 and 25 July as of now. We expect more bookings for the upcoming days, which means hotel will be packed for the whole month of July,” said Humayun Kabir.
Apart from Cox’s Bazar, hotels in the hill districts-Bandarban, Rangamati, and Khagracchari are also set to get a huge number of guests ahead of Eid.
Meanwhile, 80% to 90% hotel rooms have already been booked mainly in the two hill districts Bandarban and Rangamati.
Hasan Masud, former president of TOAB and managing director of Guide tours resort of Bandarban said, “It’s a very positive sign as lot of people are travelling during Eid vacation which was not visible even few years back.”
Hotel rooms of Hotel Bandarban, Plaza Bandarban and Hotel Hill View have also been totally booked.
Alok Bikash Chakma, unit manager of Rangamati Parjatan Motel said: “Our motel rooms are 100% booked up to 24 July. Rest of the days of the current month will also be booked.”
B. M. Omar Faruque, unit manager of Khagracchari Parjatan Motel said: “Till today the motel is totally empty but there is no room vacant from July 20-25.”
Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, national hospitality organisation of the country is still offering 20% discount for the domestic tourists.
Tito Siddique, managing director of Excellence Asia Limited, a tour operator, observed that those, who are not getting any rooms in Cox’s Bazar and the 3 hill districts, are trying to move other places like Sundarbans.
“It is a good sign for our domestic tourism as a good number of travellers are going out to enjoy tour sites. We hope this trend will continue till winter,” said Kazi Wahidul Alam, a tourism expert and editor of tourism fortnightly magazine, The Bangladesh Monitor.
