Tourism sector suffers severe blow amid political turmoil

Political instability ahead of the national election has appeared to be a big blow to the country's tourism sector as the most popular tourist destinations including Cox's Bazar, St Martin and Kuakata have seen a sharp drop in the number of visitors.

Once-bustling tourist spots face unprecedented vacancies as people are avoiding travel amid the ongoing countrywide blockades and hartals enforced by the BNP and its allies.

Tourism industry insiders claimed that they had to count huge losses in the last several weeks due to cancellation of advance bookings in hotels, motels, and resorts across tourist hotspots until mid-January.

Hotel and motel owners said prior to October, over 50-60 percent of rooms in more than 500 hotels and motels in Cox's Bazar were booked daily.

However, recent weeks have witnessed a drastic decline. The number of tourists reduced from half a lakh to a mere 5,000-10,000, most of whom are locals. Similar circumstances prevail in Kuakata and St Martin, the hotel owners said.

FILE PHOTO: Sohrab Hossain

Owners of hotels and motels expressed concern about the ripple effect on their employees, as business downturns force layoffs and hinder salary payments.

President of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) Shiblul Azam Qureshi said, "It is a critical period for the tourism sector. Bookings for November, December, January, and February -- the prime tourist months -- have been cancelled."

He said Cox's Bazar, Kuakata, Sundarbans, Sylhet, Ratargul, Jaflong-Tamabil, Rangamati, and Patenga Beach, which should be bustling with tourists at this time, now lie empty.

He also said he has a hotel in St Martin its 90 percent of its rooms are lying vacant now.

"With the tourism season typically starting in October and reaching its peak in November, the ongoing political unrest has resulted in nearly empty hotels and motels this month, with bookings cancelled due to the blockade," he said.

Piyain River in Jaflong. Photo taken from Wikipedia.

Salim Newaz, General Secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel Motel Guest House Owners' Association, said over 500 hotels and motels are empty now due to the continuous blockade progrmame.

Mukhim Khan, general secretary of the Kalatali Marine Drive Road Hotel-Motel Owners' Association, estimated a staggering Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500 crore losses due to the prolonged blockade.

He urged those concerned to keep tourist vehicles out of the purview of hartals and blockades to salvage the tourism sector.

Similarly, Motaleb Sharif, general secretary of the Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners' Association, said safety concern has led to widespread booking cancellations, as people are avoiding journeys amidst political instability.