Owners of hotels and motels in Cox’s Bazar are offering special discounts to visitors on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Cox's Bazar Mohammad Abu Sufian said the Hotel-Motel Owners Association has announced 25-70% discounts on residential hotels during a seven-day fair organized by the Cox's Bazar district administration and Beach Management Committee to celebrate the day.
A beach carnival is also being arranged at Cox’s Bazar’s Laboni Point.
Sufian said the fair has been organized to promote the world's longest sea beach to local and foreign tourists. This festival, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, will continue till October 3.
Besides, restaurants are also offering 25% discounts on food. Radiant Fish World, the first fish aquarium in Bangladesh, has also offered a 50% discount.
Among other things, beach umbrellas, beach bikes, water bikes, parasailing, photography, and other tourist-related services are being offered at discounted rates.
Naimul Haque Chowdhury Tutul, president of Cox's Bazar Restaurant Owners Association, said: "The association has given a maximum discount of up to 15% to tourists. It has been announced that the rates will be available for the next seven days of the festival.”
Dhaka TribunePresident of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners Association Md Abul Kashes Sikder said: "The rooms under the association can be booked for one night at Tk800, and other rooms will be offered at a discount of 50-60%.”
Mamunur Rashid, deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar, said the week-long tourism festival was organized in an effort to promote Cox's Bazar as an international tourism spot.
The fair will include colourful events such as drawing competitions, essay writing competitions, cultural programs, comedy shows, beach football, and cricket matches. Famous artists of Bangladesh are set to perform, and around 230 stalls have been set for the fair.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism also took an initiative to observe World Tourism Day in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world on Tuesday.
This year's theme, “Rethinking Tourism”, was set by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages to mark the day.
