Half of Cox’s Bazar hotels already booked for Eid holidays

Holidaymakers are set to visit Cox's Bazar – the most popular tourist destination in Bangladesh – in droves during the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday, and 50 percent hotels and motels in the beach town were booked 10 days before the biggest religious festival.

Cox's Bazar is the most attractive tourist attraction in Bangladesh and Eid vacations come with the opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

The authorities concerned of many hotels and motels are busy preparing their respective establishments for tourists.

Cox's Bazar has been witnessing good visitor numbers for the last few months as Bangladesh has opened all tourist spots following the fall in Covid-19 infection rate.

As per the moon citing, the Eid-ul-Fitr is scheduled to be held on May 2 or May 3.

According to the hotels and motels authorities, 40 to 50 percent of rooms of many hotels and motels have already been booked.

General Secretary of Hotel Motel Guest House Officers Association, Karim Ullah, said many hotel and cottage owners had let go of some staff and workers at the beginning of Ramadan due to lack of tourists.

Habib Ullah, general secretary of Laboni Point Traders Association, said during Ramadan, most of the workers and staffers don't have work and many people kept their business establishments closed.

"But ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, people are taking preparation to host the visitors and tourists," he said.

Anwar Kamal, president of Tour Operator Association Cox's Bazar (TOAC) said the traders involved in the hotel and motel business are incurring a loss due to the lack of tourists but it will be abuzz again with the presence of several hundred visitors during Eid vacation.

Abul Kashem Shikdar, president of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel, Guest House Owners Association, said the rest of the rooms will be booked soon before Eid.

Zillur Rahman, superintendent of Cox's Bazar Tourist Police, said police have taken all-out preparation to ensure the safety of the tourists who plan to visit the tourist spot.