Stakeholders are expecting a large influx of tourists to Cox’s Bazar, the country’s main tourist destination, ahead of Eid.
Hotels and motels have already stepped up preparations and decorations to welcome visitors.
However, tourism activities on Saint Martin’s Island remain sluggish due to ongoing restrictions on tourist travel.
According to tourism-related sources, around 65–70 percent of hotel rooms have already been booked in advance for the Eid holidays, with the figure expected to exceed 80 percent before Eid.
Due to the travel ban, more than 150 hotels and motels on Saint Martin’s Island remain nearly vacant.
The world’s longest sea beach, Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach, along with attractions such as Inani Beach, Himchari National Park, Maheshkhali, Kutubdia, and Dulahazara Safari Park, continues to attract both local and international travellers year-round. Therefore, we anticipate a significant influx of tourists this Eid.
The growth of the tourism sector has also boosted the local economy. From the town area to Inani, Himchari, Teknaf, and Saint Martin’s Island, more than 600 hotels, motels, and guesthouses, along with a similar number of restaurants, have been established.
Several international standard star hotels are also operating in the region.
Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Hotel-Motel Owners Association, said, “Currently, 65–70 percent of hotels have been booked. We expect it will reach 80 percent before Eid.
If commodity prices and the law and order situation remain stable, it will have a positive impact on the tourism industry.”
District Commissioner Md Abdul Mannan said that coordination meetings have already been held with relevant stakeholders to ensure tourist safety and prevent harassment, and necessary instructions have been given.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police ANM Sazedur Rahman said, “Illegal encroachments on the beach have been removed to keep it clean, and the law and order situation is normal.
Additional police have been deployed, and patrols have been intensified to ensure tourists’ safety during Eid. Even regular police leave has been cancelled.”
Overall, stakeholders expect a surge of tourists in Cox’s Bazar this Eid, driven by favourable conditions and extensive preparations.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Collected
