Hotels and motels of Kuakata, one of the country's top tourist attractions located in Patuakhali, are offering a 50 percent discount marking World Tourism Day on September 27.

Tourists can enjoy the discount for seven days starting from Wednesday (September 27), our Patuakhali correspondent reports quoting hotel and motel owners.

The Kuakata Hotel Motel Owners' Association in a meeting on September 22 decided to offer 50 percent discount.

Tourists are booking hotels and motels as they will get a three-day holiday for this week. Thursday is a public holiday on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi and Friday and Saturday are weekly holidays.

Patuakhali's Kuakata Beach is located on the southernmost tip of Bangladesh and about 5,000 people rely on the local tourism sector.

The leaders of Kuakata Hotel Motel Owners Association said 80 percent of the hotel and motel rooms have already been booked.

Motaleb Sharif, general secretary of the association, said a big event has been organised in Dhaka on the occasion of the tourism day.

In Kuakata, the hotel and motel owners will hold various programmes, including a colorful procession. "We are expecting a significant number of tourists in Kuakata compared to the previous years as there are three days of public holidays. Already 80 percent of the rooms of most of the hotels and motels here have been booked from September 27."

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The hotel and motel authorities are taking extensive preparations to provide the tourists the desired services.

Shah Alam Howladar, president of Kuakata Hotel Motel Owners Association, said that after the opening of the Padma Bridge, tourists are more interested in visiting Kuakata due to the smooth road communication with Dhaka.

Hossain Mohammad Shakib, managing director of Hotel South Bengal, said 90 percent of the rooms have been booked for September 28 and 29 and 80 percent for September 30 in advance.

He expects that 100 percent booking will be completed during the remaining days.

Tour Operators Association of Kuakata (TOAK) Secretary Zahirul Islam said 70-80 percent of Kuakata's hotels have already been booked from September 28 to 30.

"All thanks to Padma Bridge and seamless transportation system," he said.

Md Shaheen Khan, director of Hotel Banani Palace, said, "We are getting a good response from tourists due to the public holiday and the weekend."

According to the Kuakata Hotel Motel Owners Association, Kuakata has more than 170 hotels -- large and small -- with a total capacity of 15,000 and 20,000 people.

But in the peak tourist season, people have to spend nights in nearby houses and inside cars due to room crisis. Many people plan daylong visits and return home at night, he said.

Inspector Hasnain Parvez, of Kuakata zone tourist police, said Kuakata is expecting a huge turnout of tourists during the three-day holiday. "We have taken all measures to ensure the overall safety of the tourists," he said.