The travel agencies of the country are facing huge losses due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Although the international flights have been resumed on a limited scale after a long three-month gap, more than 90 per cent of the country’s travel agencies are yet to start their normal operation.
Sources said, travel agencies are failing to sell even 5 per cent of their tickets comparing to the normal time, though some airlines have resumed limited flights as they are selling tickets directly themselves.
Besides, many of the remittance earners who are now going abroad have already bought return tickets. Very few people are buying new tickets. As a result, a terrible crisis is going on in this sector. The amount of loss is increasing day by day.
Md Munsur Ahmed Khan, President of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), an organization of the travel agencies, said, “We can’t go to sell
tickets even if the flights are resumed. Bangladesh Biman and Qatar Airlines are selling tickets directly. Others Airlines are also selling tickets in their own counters. But the travel agencies are not getting any opportunities.”
“We are failing to sell even 5 per cent of the tickets comparing to the normal time. Overall we are passing through a critical time,” added the ATAB President.
According to the ATAB, there are 3843 travel agencies in the country. Among them, 3201 are in Dhaka, 385 in Chattogram and 257 in Sylhet.
Flights on international routes were completely closed from March to June, according to the ATAB. International flights have been launched again on a limited scale since June 16. The tickets for hundreds of routes around the world were sold before the pandemic. But now the tickets are currently being sold only for several countries, including Bahrain and the UAE.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, more than 25 Airlines operated flights to different countries. But only six airlines, including Bangladesh Biman Airlines, are operating a limited number of flights in Bangladesh at present. As a result, 90 per cent of travel agencies are currently closed as they are failing to sell tickets.
In a letter sent to the Finance Minister from ATAB on April 13, it was mentioned that the combined business loss in the travel agency and tourism sector as a result of coronavirus pandemic till June was Tk 12,000 crore. About four lakh people are in danger of losing their jobs by this time.
Md Mazharul H Bhuiyan, General Secretary of the ATAB, said, “We have no business at all. The travel agencies that used to sell tickets worth Tk 5 to 7 crore a month are now able to sell tickets worth Tk 50 lakh or a little more.”
Md Didarul Alam, owner of Four Aviation Service Agency, said, “Our travel agency’s office has been closed since last April. Some workers have been on lay off and some are at home. We are in huge loss for the last five months. We are in problem with our families.”
