Christmas, 2-day public holiday breathe life into Kuakata after slow winter start

Kuakata, the country's only beach where both sunrise and sunset can be enjoyed from the same shoreline, has seen a sharp rise in visitors as Christmas — the biggest festival for Christians — coincided with a 2-day government holiday, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists to the coastal destination. 

From early this morning (25 December), tourists began arriving in Kuakata by road and waterways to make the most of the extended break. Local traders said the strong turnout on the first day of the holiday has raised hopes of a profitable season after an underwhelming start to winter. 

Tourist arrivals had remained below expectations earlier in the season due to political uncertainty. However, the combined Christmas and public holidays led to advance bookings of nearly 70% of hotel rooms across the tourism town. 

Encouraged by the surge in demand, many shopkeepers stocked new products in anticipation of increased sales.

Suman Khalifa, who travelled from Faridpur with his family, said government service often leaves little time for family. 

"As we received a three-day holiday including Christmas, we decided to come to Kuakata together. There is a huge rush of tourists, and it was difficult to secure rooms even with advance planning," he said.

Photo: Collected

Another visitor, Jasimuddin, who arrived from Dacope with seven friends, said they plan to stay for three days. "After coming here, it feels like we should have visited earlier. Kuakata has a unique charm in winter," he said while enjoying the beach. 

However, some visitors have expressed dissatisfaction over rising costs. Shahidul Islam from Barishal alleged overpricing, claiming food quality does not match the high prices, while transport fares and hotel room rents have also increased significantly. 

To mark Christmas, several upscale hotels arranged special programmes and festive decorations to create a celebratory atmosphere. 

Tourism sector stakeholders said all rooms in more than 500 hotels and motels in Kuakata are booked until 31 December, with the season expected to generate business worth several hundred crore taka.

Arif Suman, proprietor of Hotel Friends Park, said the response has been encouraging. "Around 80% of our rooms are already booked. We hope this will help offset losses from earlier in the season," he said.

Ruman Imtiaz Tushar, president of the Tour Operators' Association of Kuakata, said the influx of tourists during the three-day holiday has pleased businesses and increased economic circulation in the region.

Meanwhile, Habibur Rahman, assistant superintendent of police of the Kuakata Tourist Police Region, said all necessary measures have been taken to ensure tourist safety. 

Additional police have been deployed at key tourist spots to allow visitors to enjoy their holidays without concern.