UNB, Dhaka :
The hospitality industry in the beach town of Cox’s Bazar, the country’s most popular tourist destination, is expecting a greater number of tourists this times, thanks to the political stability and the excellent weather condition.
Though the flow of tourist still remains low due to annual examinations at different levels across the country that delayed the guardians’ tour plan, hotel owners are expecting higher volume of individual tourists after December 16, according to industry insiders.
They also said, the flow of ‘corporate booking’ is on the rise at the moment.
“We’re getting a good number of corporate bookings. It’s on the rise,” assistant front office manager of Seagull Hotel ATM Nur-a-Alam Mithun told UNB.
He said, the individual guests are rushing to other hotels. “If the country’s political situation remains calm and quiet, our business also remains good. The season this year is good.”
Another official at the Hotel Sea Palace Limited in Cox’s Bazar said they are expecting an increased flow of tourists from the next weekend.
“It’s just the beginning. We’ll know better about the situation after December 16. At this moment, the flow is normal. But this time we expect a good business,” Hotel Sea Palace Manager Mohammad Salauddin Sumon said.
However, leaders of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel and Guest House Owners Association are not happy yet over the response from the tourists.
“We’re yet to see any momentum. Examinations (of different levels) may be one of the reasons. Even, the overall communication system
isn’ t as smooth as expected,” General Secretary of the Association Abul Kashem Sikdar told UNB comparing the situation with that of 2011.
He said 20 percent of the available accommodation is occupied while the rest 80 percent remain vacant. “Usually, in the peak season that begins from December sees overflowed tourists.”
Abul Kashem, however, is hopeful of better business but expressed dissatisfaction over the security and disturbance by the locals. “It doesn’t look good when we see over dozens of people force a tourist to take with them soon after his arrival at the bus terminal,” he said adding that police hardly come forward to help the tourists.
He said, they cannot claim that the security measures have been tightened to ensure the security for the increased flow of tourists. But, bus operators in Dhaka said they are witnessing an increased flow of passengers towards Cox’s Bazar from the second week of December.
The hospitality industry in Cox’s Bazar had suffered huge losses in December last year following shutdowns and blockades forcing hoteliers to send many of their employees on leave to minimise their losses.
Despite the peak season for tourists, the occupancy rate had come down to almost zero at that time following the political instability.
The travel and tourism sector raked in Tk 19,300 crore or 2.1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2012, and was forecast to improve on the figure by 7.7 percent in 2013, according to a study by World Travel and Tourism Council.
In 2012, the sector also registered Tk 3,730 crore investments, which is 1.6 percent of the total investments for the year, the study said.
The hospitality industry in the beach town of Cox’s Bazar, the country’s most popular tourist destination, is expecting a greater number of tourists this times, thanks to the political stability and the excellent weather condition.
Though the flow of tourist still remains low due to annual examinations at different levels across the country that delayed the guardians’ tour plan, hotel owners are expecting higher volume of individual tourists after December 16, according to industry insiders.
They also said, the flow of ‘corporate booking’ is on the rise at the moment.
“We’re getting a good number of corporate bookings. It’s on the rise,” assistant front office manager of Seagull Hotel ATM Nur-a-Alam Mithun told UNB.
He said, the individual guests are rushing to other hotels. “If the country’s political situation remains calm and quiet, our business also remains good. The season this year is good.”
Another official at the Hotel Sea Palace Limited in Cox’s Bazar said they are expecting an increased flow of tourists from the next weekend.
“It’s just the beginning. We’ll know better about the situation after December 16. At this moment, the flow is normal. But this time we expect a good business,” Hotel Sea Palace Manager Mohammad Salauddin Sumon said.
However, leaders of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel and Guest House Owners Association are not happy yet over the response from the tourists.
“We’re yet to see any momentum. Examinations (of different levels) may be one of the reasons. Even, the overall communication system
isn’ t as smooth as expected,” General Secretary of the Association Abul Kashem Sikdar told UNB comparing the situation with that of 2011.
He said 20 percent of the available accommodation is occupied while the rest 80 percent remain vacant. “Usually, in the peak season that begins from December sees overflowed tourists.”
Abul Kashem, however, is hopeful of better business but expressed dissatisfaction over the security and disturbance by the locals. “It doesn’t look good when we see over dozens of people force a tourist to take with them soon after his arrival at the bus terminal,” he said adding that police hardly come forward to help the tourists.
He said, they cannot claim that the security measures have been tightened to ensure the security for the increased flow of tourists. But, bus operators in Dhaka said they are witnessing an increased flow of passengers towards Cox’s Bazar from the second week of December.
The hospitality industry in Cox’s Bazar had suffered huge losses in December last year following shutdowns and blockades forcing hoteliers to send many of their employees on leave to minimise their losses.
Despite the peak season for tourists, the occupancy rate had come down to almost zero at that time following the political instability.
The travel and tourism sector raked in Tk 19,300 crore or 2.1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2012, and was forecast to improve on the figure by 7.7 percent in 2013, according to a study by World Travel and Tourism Council.
In 2012, the sector also registered Tk 3,730 crore investments, which is 1.6 percent of the total investments for the year, the study said.
