Tourism businesses in Cox’s Bazar are expecting Tk 900 crore to Tk 1,000 crore in revenue during a 10-day holiday stretch combining Durga Puja, Prabarana Purnima and weekly holidays, with bookings surging across hotels, motels, guesthouses, cottages and restaurants.
Hoteliers say more than 20 star-rated hotels in the resort town have booked nearly all their rooms in advance, while around 90 per cent of rooms at medium-sized hotels, guesthouses and cottages have been reserved. Businesspeople expect at least 1.5 million tourists to visit Cox’s Bazar by October 25, boosting trade across accommodation, food, transport and other tourism-related services.
However, the holiday rush has coincided with safety concerns following two deadly incidents: a fire at Tuptup Resort in Patuartek, Inani, Ukhiya, that killed 10 people on October 17, and the drowning of four tourists at Pechar Dwip near the Himchari museum on Wednesday. Another tourist remained missing after the drowning incident, while the body of a young man who entered the water to help rescue people was also recovered.
The incidents had raised concerns among tourism operators about tourist arrivals, but businesses say the initial uncertainty has eased as the holidays approached and crowds began growing, particularly from Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Laboni and Sugandha beach points and nearby tourist attractions saw large crowds, while Durga idol immersion at Laboni Point drew tourists and devotees. Crowds continued on Thursday, the third day of the holiday period, with tourists gathering at Laboni, Sugandha, and Kalatali points for sea bathing and recreation.
City hotels lead bookings
Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Guesthouse Owners’ Association, said they expected at least 1.5 million tourists during the 10-day holiday period.
He said more than 20 star-rated hotels had booked nearly all their rooms, while around 90 per cent of rooms at medium-sized hotels, guesthouses and cottages had been reserved in advance. Hotels were not offering discounts on room rates this time, but the administration was monitoring establishments to prevent overcharging, he added.
According to Sikder, more than 500 hotels, resorts and guesthouses in Cox’s Bazar town can accommodate around 168,000 people overnight. A large influx of tourists is expected to boost business for restaurants, transport operators, and other tourism service providers alongside the accommodation sector.
Abu Taleb, assistant general manager of Hotel Cox Today, said all rooms at their hotel had been booked. They expect guest pressure to continue throughout October.
Tourism operators say the town’s hotels, guesthouses and cottages are experiencing greater pressure than accommodation facilities along Marine Drive. Tourist activity has also increased at Himchari, Inani and other attractions along the coastal road.
Businesses expect Tk 1,000cr in revenue
Abdul Shukkur, president of the Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said tourism-related businesses could generate Tk 900 crore to Tk 1,000 crore if 1.5 million tourists visited during the holiday period.
The anticipated revenue would benefit not only hotels and restaurants but also transport services, small businesses, beach-based vendors and traders selling goods for tourists’ daily needs. Increased tourist spending could therefore spread across several layers of the local economy.
However, the revenue figure remains an industry estimate. The actual scale of business will become clearer after the holidays, once tourist arrivals, average visitor spending and earnings across different sectors can be assessed.
Tourists enjoy the beach amid safety concerns
Despite the holiday crowds, the recent drowning incident has heightened safety concerns at the beach. Tourists visiting the area said they were enjoying the holidays while taking precautions.
Samir Hasan, a tourist, said he came to the sea in the morning and enjoyed the experience, although the weather was extremely hot.
Jui Akter, another tourist, said she had heard about the drowning incident and the resort fire in Cox’s Bazar. She was therefore enjoying the sea while maintaining a safe distance from the water.
Zainal Abedin, senior lifeguard at Cox’s Bazar sea beach, said the bodies of four tourists who drowned at Himchari had been recovered. He advised tourists to bathe only in designated safe areas at Laboni, Sugandha and Kalatali points and avoid entering the sea elsewhere.
He particularly warned against swimming at Himchari beach, where lifeguards are not deployed.
Service quality remains crucial
Tourism operators say the holiday rush presents a significant business opportunity but also places greater responsibility on accommodation providers, restaurants, transport operators and other service businesses.
With advance bookings high, maintaining service standards, ensuring safety, and preventing unfair charges will be key to sustaining tourists’ confidence in Cox’s Bazar as a destination.
Businesspeople hope that strong tourist arrivals during the extended holidays will translate into substantial revenue and support the local economy beyond the peak holiday period.
By Tarekur Rahman and Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Mohammad Morshed
