Country’s tourism business is going through a massive slump as the visitors are cancelling their schedules because of the ongoing political unrest and frequent strikes
and blockades, said industry operators.
They said pleasure trips have become the least priority at the moment when the regular movement is becoming increasingly dangerous due strikes enforced by the
opposition parties demanding election-time neutral government.
Hotel and restaurant owners in country’s major tourist hub, Cox’s Bazar, said almost half of the restaurants and some hotels have been shut down recently because of
dull business.
‘Few months back, during the earlier spell of political unrest, the booking cancellation rate was 75 per cent which is now 100 per cent, which means the tour operators
have zero business at this moment,’ The Guide Tours managing director Hasan Mansur told New Age on Sunday.
He said there is no positive sign and the industry people are greatly concerned as it is becoming hard for the operators to manage their operational expenses.
‘This is unfortunate that for a handful of bad people, mostly professional politicians, the ordinary people and our country are suffering,’ said Hasan who is the
immediate past president or Tour Operators’ Association of Bangladesh.
Another tour operator said the number of foreign tourists is reduced drastically after Bangladesh was marked as a danger zone.
‘Foreign tourists are not willing to visit as their respective embassies and High Commissions advised them to keep away from Bangladesh or move with caution if they
are already inside the county,’ Bengal Tours executive director Masud Hossain told New Age.
Cox’s Bazar Hotel Motel and Guest House Owners’ Association leaders said most of the hotels and rest houses have sent their employees to vacation because of the
ongoing political instability.
‘Most of the hotels are running only with a manager and a security guard as there is no boarder. Almost half of the restaurants is also closed for the same reason,’
association’s general secretary Abul Kashem told New Age on Monday.
New Age Khulna correspondent reported that frequent shutdowns were taking toll on business of luxury hotels and tour operators in the district which hosts the largest
mangrove forest Sundarban.
‘I have incurred loss of Taka 1.30 crore in last two and a half months so far as revenue earning is concerned as frequent shutdowns have affected business for
cancellation of room bookings by domestic and foreign tourists,’ City Inn’s managing director told New Age.
‘Besides, the event hosting like marriage and other social gatherings also reduced more than half in last two months,’ hotel Western Inn’s managing director S. M.
Amjad Hossain said.
-With New Age input
