Gazi Anowarul Hoque :
The country’s tourism sector is facing setback as tourists from home and abroad are canceling their planned trips due to ongoing political unrest, said Taufiq Uddin Ahmed, President of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) with the New Nation.
He said, the entrepreneurs of this sector suffered a huge loss for the last three consecutive years as tourism business is only for three months, from November to January.
Tourism service providers and investors wait for the peak season for their big earning and to cover the overhead costs of the lean season. But, unfortunately, their hope remains just a dream for the ongoing political unrest in the country, hinted TOAB president.
Tour operators, hoteliers, and resort owners became encumber with heavy losses and many service providers were forced to become debtors. If the situation continues they would compel to give up the business, said Taufiq.
The hotels, in the popular tourist destination, that normally witness averagely almost cent percent room occupancy during this tourist season now have only 10-12percent occupancy due to unrest, he lamented.
Five groups comprising 120 tourists from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, China and Japan were scheduled to visit Bangladesh during January-February through Journey Plus. They have already cancelled their trips, said Taufiq Rahman, chief executive of Journey Plus.
A total 50 tourists from China were scheduled to come to Bangladesh at the end of January, but they cancelled their trip fearing violence. So, we counting a loss of about Tk 80 lakh,” Rahman said.
“The travel of foreign tourists is our bread and butter,” said Syed Mahbubul Islam Bulu, chief executive of Riverine Tours.
“We are in a crisis as the country is experiencing a tough situation,” he said.
“A total of 30 tourists from Japan and China had planned to visit Bangladesh last month through us but cancelled,” informed Faridul Haque, Managing Director of Tour Planners.
“Bangladesh has a number of natural tourism spots, on the other hand, Singapore has no such natural opportunities but developed the sector investing $20 million. But we cannot bag the benefits from this sector due to man-made crisis,” said Haque.
Masud Hossain, executive director of Bengal Tours said, “We brought 50 tourists from Japan and Europe but unable to take them to planned sites”.
“Another 100 tourists have planned to visit Bangladesh this month but we are in doubt over whether the situation will improve or further deteriorate,” “We want a peaceful environment to run the business uninterruptedly.”
“We are passing uncertain situation. So, foreign tourists feel insecure to visit Bangladesh at this moment”, said Shiblul Azam Koreshi, owner of Abakash Parjatan Ltd at Saint Martin and Nijhum Dip.
An statistics shows, a total of 3.92 lakh foreigners visited Bangladesh in 2013, which is generated direct jobs for 1,328,500 people (1.8 percent of total employment), according to World Travel and Tourism Council.
The country’s tourism sector is facing setback as tourists from home and abroad are canceling their planned trips due to ongoing political unrest, said Taufiq Uddin Ahmed, President of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) with the New Nation.
He said, the entrepreneurs of this sector suffered a huge loss for the last three consecutive years as tourism business is only for three months, from November to January.
Tourism service providers and investors wait for the peak season for their big earning and to cover the overhead costs of the lean season. But, unfortunately, their hope remains just a dream for the ongoing political unrest in the country, hinted TOAB president.
Tour operators, hoteliers, and resort owners became encumber with heavy losses and many service providers were forced to become debtors. If the situation continues they would compel to give up the business, said Taufiq.
The hotels, in the popular tourist destination, that normally witness averagely almost cent percent room occupancy during this tourist season now have only 10-12percent occupancy due to unrest, he lamented.
Five groups comprising 120 tourists from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, China and Japan were scheduled to visit Bangladesh during January-February through Journey Plus. They have already cancelled their trips, said Taufiq Rahman, chief executive of Journey Plus.
A total 50 tourists from China were scheduled to come to Bangladesh at the end of January, but they cancelled their trip fearing violence. So, we counting a loss of about Tk 80 lakh,” Rahman said.
“The travel of foreign tourists is our bread and butter,” said Syed Mahbubul Islam Bulu, chief executive of Riverine Tours.
“We are in a crisis as the country is experiencing a tough situation,” he said.
“A total of 30 tourists from Japan and China had planned to visit Bangladesh last month through us but cancelled,” informed Faridul Haque, Managing Director of Tour Planners.
“Bangladesh has a number of natural tourism spots, on the other hand, Singapore has no such natural opportunities but developed the sector investing $20 million. But we cannot bag the benefits from this sector due to man-made crisis,” said Haque.
Masud Hossain, executive director of Bengal Tours said, “We brought 50 tourists from Japan and Europe but unable to take them to planned sites”.
“Another 100 tourists have planned to visit Bangladesh this month but we are in doubt over whether the situation will improve or further deteriorate,” “We want a peaceful environment to run the business uninterruptedly.”
“We are passing uncertain situation. So, foreign tourists feel insecure to visit Bangladesh at this moment”, said Shiblul Azam Koreshi, owner of Abakash Parjatan Ltd at Saint Martin and Nijhum Dip.
An statistics shows, a total of 3.92 lakh foreigners visited Bangladesh in 2013, which is generated direct jobs for 1,328,500 people (1.8 percent of total employment), according to World Travel and Tourism Council.
