St. Martin’s Island, the country’s only coral island, will reopen to tourists on November 1.
The tourism season will run until February, but with tighter restrictions to protect the fragile environment.
Authorities announced that no more than 2,000 tourists will be allowed daily, and overnight stays will be prohibited for the first two months.
The decision was shared on Thursday (September 25) at a press briefing marking World Tourism Day by Sheikh Bashir Uddin, adviser to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
He said a new registration-based software system has been developed to regulate the flow of visitors.
The software will be integrated with transportation services to ensure controlled entry to the island. Tourists will be allowed to stay overnight only during January and February.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change formed a joint committee to regulate visitors and authorized vessels bound for St. Martin’s.
The interim government had previously decided to keep the island off-limits for nine months each year, requiring tourists to register and comply with several restrictions before visiting.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Courtesy
