Apprehensions over political turmoil after Eid-ul-Azha due Wednesday have dashed the hopes of many people for spending holidays in the country’s popular tourist spots.
It did not, however, prevent well-to-do holidaymakers from travelling abroad, particularly neighbouring ones, as evidenced by the fact that most air tickets have already sold out.
The political situation put most holidaymakers off visiting the country’s tourists spots, while the affluent diverted their tourism money to destinations outside of the country, said Hasan Mansur, president of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh.
The people had the opportunity of a long vacation this year on account of the coinciding holidays for Durga Puja, biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, and Eid, a religious festival of the Muslim community.
During this time when tourism business typically peaks, local tour operators and hoteliers felt the pinch of the political uncertainty, as they find hardly any viable business options.
“The situation is very bad in the local tourism industry,” said Abul Quasem, Chittagong Hotel Owners’ Association.
He said his resort expected a fall of more than 50% in bookings this season. “Fear of political turmoil in the run up to the general election has resulted in a lull in the tourism industry.”
In 2011, the country’s travel and tourism sector raked in Tk182.5bn, making up 2.2% of Bangladesh’s GDP (gross domestic product), according to a study by World Travel & Tourism Council.
During Eid-ul-Fitr in August, hoteliers witnessed cancellations of booking order by both foreign and local visitors keen to avoid the political chaos that was expected to take place after the holiday. “This time we've received any booking orders,” said Shaymal Barua, general manger of Diamond Palace Guest House, Chittagong. “It is very hard to offset operational costs.”
In Cox's Bazar, around 200 hotels, motels and guest houses, with a combined accommodation capacity of 40,000, usually remain booked 30 days ahead of the Eid holiday.
“Even after cutting rates significantly and hoteliers trying to lure visitors with all-inclusive packages, still dormitories remain vacant,” said Barua.
Tour operators said Bangladeshis prefer to holiday in Southeast Asia, followed by Europe and the US. Most of them are going to India, Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, Bhutan and Singapore.
Fakhrul Islam, owner of Dhaka Travel and Tours, said most tickets on all airlines had already sold out. “Domestic political violence does not deter the well-off holiday makers from going abroad.”
Tareq Moretaza, chief executive of Tour Plus, said the country’s political uncertainty has forced well-off people to divert their tourism to neighbouring countries.
The country has around 350 tour operators employing more than 30,000 people directly and indirectly. Of them, about 60 organise outbound tours, according an official from the state-run Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.
