4 lakh tourists visit Cox's Bazar in a week, business hits Tk400cr

Highlights:

• 5 key sectors drive local tourism revenue
• Average tourist spends over Tk10,000 per visit
• Vendors, photographers, operators see strong business
• Over 500 hospitality establishments filled to full capacity

Cox's Bazar, home to the world's longest sea beach, experienced a massive influx of tourists during this year's Eid-ul-Adha holidays, with an estimated four lakh visitors arriving between 7 and 13 June.

Although there are no official figures from the government or private sector on the exact number of daily visitors or their spending patterns, estimates are commonly based on hotel occupancy rates. 

With over 550 hotels, motels, and guesthouses in the region, tourism stakeholders believe that around four lakh tourists visited the coastal town during the seven-day Eid break.

According to the Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at least Tk700 crore was transacted across five key tourism-related sectors. However, based on accommodation data, the chamber considers Tk400 crore to be a more realistic figure.

Abul Kasem Sikder, president of the Cox's Bazar Residential Hotel, Motel and Guesthouse Owners' Association, noted that the first day of Eid saw relatively low footfall, but numbers rose in the following days. 

"By the end of the week, the number of tourists staying in hotels did not exceed four lakh, and the crowd began to thin from Friday," he added.

Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka said the primary tourism sectors contributing to the local economy include accommodation (hotels, motels, guesthouses), restaurants and food outlets, beachside services (such as beach bikes, horses, kitkats, photographers, and hawkers), retail shops selling Burmese goods, dried fish, shell and pearl jewellery, and long-distance and local transport services.

He pointed out that, while both visitor counts and business volumes are estimates, surveys indicate that each tourist spends at least Tk10,000 across these sectors. 

"If four lakh tourists visited during the Eid holidays, the total business would reasonably exceed Tk400 crore," he said, urging the government to introduce an online system to collect hotel data and more accurately track tourism trends.

Local businesses thrive

Local businesses have reported brisk sales and full bookings. On-site visits to Laboni, Sugandha, and Kolatoli points revealed large crowds of tourists enjoying jet skiing, beach biking, horseback riding, and capturing their beach moments on camera. 

Many were also seen shopping for Burmese goods, dried fish, shell jewellery, pearls, pickles, and souvenirs. This surge in visitors brought a welcome boost for local vendors, photographers, jet ski operators, beach bike drivers, and hawkers. 

More than 500 hospitality establishments – including hotels, motels, cottages, and resorts – were reportedly filled to capacity, with staff stretched to meet demand. Restaurants across the town also saw booming business throughout the week.