Hotel and resort owners in Cox’s Bazar are expecting a record-breaking influx of tourists during the extended Eid-ul-Azha holidays, with projections of up to 800,000 visitors arriving in the seaside city.
According to hospitality sources, 90% of rooms in at least 25 luxury hotels and resorts have already been booked. In over 500 standard hotels and guesthouses, booking rates have reached around 60%.
Abu Morshed Chowdhury, President of the Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that this holiday season could generate business worth approximately Tk 700 crore if tourist turnout reaches the projected level.
At Sugandha Point today, an early crowd of tourists could already be seen enjoying the beach. Some were spotted bathing in the sea under the watchful eyes of lifeguards from the private safety organization Sea Safe.
The organization’s director, Imtiaz Ahmad, mentioned that 26 trained lifeguards have been deployed along a 5-kilometer stretch of beach — from Kolatoli to Sugandha to Laboni — to ensure tourist safety.
The Tourist Police have also ramped up their patrols throughout the town’s roads and beachside spots to manage the growing pressure of holidaymakers and to maintain order during the festive rush.
Cox’s Bazar is set to offer not just sea and sand, but a safe and welcoming escape for the hundreds of thousands flocking to the country’s tourism capital this Eid.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Cox’s Bazar Life Photo
