Nine-day Eid holiday sparks tourism boom

The extended Eid holiday this year is expected to significantly boost domestic tourism, with industry insiders anticipating a surge in travel as many take the opportunity to vacation.

According to leaders of various tourism organisations, around 70% of hotel and motel rooms have already been booked in advance, with many travellers opting for on-the-spot reservations. Consequently, full occupancy is expected during the Eid holiday period.

Cox's Bazar town, the home to the world's longest sea beach, had been experiencing a near-deserted state for the past month. Due to Ramadan, the beach remained empty, and the residential hotel staff and officials spent an idle period. However, the extended Eid-ul-Fitr holiday is bringing back vibrancy to the area, according to local business owners.

The Eid holidays began on Friday. This year, including the weekend, the country is experiencing an extended nine-day holiday.

Although there was not much tourist pressure initially, Cox's Bazar is expected to witness a surge in visitors from 1 to 5 April. Already, rooms in 5,000 residential hotels, motels, guest houses and resorts in Cox's Bazar are being booked in advance, the business owners say.

By Friday, many star-rated hotels had reached full occupancy, while other residential establishments reported booking rates of 55-60%, they say.

Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox's Bazar Residential Hotel, Motel, and Guest House Owners' Association, told TBS that the rush of tourists will prevail in Cox's Bazar from 1 to 5 April during the Eid holidays. Many have already started booking accommodations, and an estimated 7.5 lakh tourists are expected to visit over these five days.

Enayet Ullah, manager of Hotel Sea-Gull in Cox's Bazar, said all rooms in the hotel have been fully booked for the two days following Eid-ul-Fitr. Bookings for the subsequent dates are ongoing, and he expects Cox's Bazar to remain crowded with tourists for at least a week after Eid.

Abu Taleb Shah, manager of Hotel Cox Today, said that renovation work, including swimming pool cleaning and room painting, has been completed. The hotel is now fully prepared to welcome tourists, and room bookings are ongoing, he added.

Abdu Rashid, a Burmese goods trader at Laboni Point, said that due to the lack of tourists during Ramadan, he focused on repairing his shop. Now, he is arranging new products such as pickles, children's toys, shoes, and clothing with a target of good sales this Eid.

Motaleb Sharif, general secretary of the Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association, said there are more than 150 hotels and motels in Patuakhali's Kuakata.

He said, "As this Eid comes with an extended holiday, we expect an overwhelming influx of tourists in Kuakata. Our association has 80 members, and their hotels can accommodate 25,000 to 30,000 tourists daily."

However, beyond their members, there are 200 hotels in Kuakata, Motaleb said. "Altogether, around 50,000 tourists visit the area every year during Eid."

He said some hotels have received 50% advance bookings, while others are fully booked. "However, even without advance bookings, all hotels usually get fully occupied during Eid. This year, with the extended holiday, we expect an even higher number of tourists."

Sirajul Islam, general secretary of the Bandarban Hotel-Motel-Resort Owners' Association, said, "This year, we are receiving more response from tourists compared to last year. There are around 70 hotels in Bandarban town and 70% of the rooms have been booked in advance. Our accommodation capacity can host approximately 6,000 people daily."

Industry insiders say tourist interest in Sajek has decreased recently due to a fire in the area.

Mohammed Rafiuzzaman, president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), said many people will visit their village homes and explore nearby tourist spots this year because of the extended holiday.

"As a result, there won't be overcrowding at any specific tourist destinations. This is good for tourism because when there is overcrowding, tourists are unable to travel comfortably, and it often leads to issues like not finding available hotel rooms," he said.

Shiblul Azam Koreshi, a former president of the TOAB, said that typically, during the long Eid holiday, there are around 50 lakh tourists across the country.

He also stated that during the period, tourist spots like Cox's Bazar, Kuakata, Sundarbans, various areas in Sylhet, Ratargul, Bichanakandi, Jaflong, Tamabil, Rangamati, and Patenga Beach tend to experience the highest crowds.

Decrease in international travel

Kamrul Islam, general manager (public relations) of US-Bangla Airlines, said, "This year, we have experienced less pressure for both domestic and international travel. We haven't had to schedule any extra flights."

Explaining the reasons for a decline in international travel by tourists, he said tourist visas to India have remained closed for a long time, and those who had visas have seen them expire.

Kamrul continued, "For medical visa travellers heading to Chennai, flights are being operated with 50% of seats left empty. There was expected pressure for travel to Jeddah due to the absence of Umrah visas, but that has not materialised.

"Additionally, due to the lack of tourist visas for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, groups that were supposed to travel have not been able to move.

"Regarding Bangkok, e-visas have started, but travellers now have to submit their passports 45 days in advance. Previously, around 700-800 visas were issued daily for Bangkok, but now it's down to about 400. Overall, international travel has decreased."

Afsia Jannat Saleh, secretary-general of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh, said, "India is not issuing tourist visas, and it is taking longer to obtain visas for Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. As a result, international travel will decrease, and domestic travel within the country is expected to increase."

She mentioned that travel to Sri Lanka and the Maldives is increasing, and flights to these destinations are now fully booked.

​​​​​​Security for tourists

Abu Morshed Chowdhury, president of Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said 7 to 8 lakh tourists are expected to visit during the Eid holiday.

He requested attention to ensure that tourists' safety is guaranteed and that no extra charges are imposed on hotels, motels, restaurants and transport services.

Morshed also mentioned that the tourism-related sectors could potentially generate a business turnover of around Tk750 crore from the influx of tourists during the holiday.

Apel Mahmud, additional DIG of the Tourist Police Cox's Bazar Zone, saidthat with the influx of additional tourists during Eid, the Tourist Police will strengthen patrols, increase undercover surveillance and set up complaint boxes at various points, among other initiatives. "This will ensure that tourists can travel safely in Cox's Bazar."