A long holiday combining the public holiday for July Mass Uprising Day and the weekly weekend has triggered a surge of tourists in Cox’s Bazar, with hotels reporting strong occupancy despite the ongoing monsoon season.
Tourism operators described the influx as unusual for this time of year, saying such a large number of tourists during the peak of the rainy season is rarely seen.
Thousands of tourists crowded the Kolatoli, Sugandha and Laboni beach points on Thursday, enjoying the coastline despite overcast skies, intermittent drizzle and rough seas.
Many were seen bathing in designated areas, taking photographs and soaking up the beach’s distinctive monsoon atmosphere.
Industry insiders said the public holiday on Wednesday marking July Mass Uprising Day, followed by the weekly weekend, encouraged many people to extend their break by travelling to the country’s premier seaside destination.
They expect visitor numbers to increase further over the next two days.
Karim Ullah Kolim, general secretary of the Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel Guest House Officers’ Association, said the continuous holiday had brought hundreds of thousands of tourists to the district.
‘Nearly 80 per cent of rooms at most hotels and motels have already been booked, while occupancy at star-rated hotels has exceeded 90 per cent,’ he said.
Sayeed Alamgir, public relations officer of Ocean Paradise Hotel and Resort, described the response as exceptional for the monsoon season.
‘Our hotel has 220 rooms, of which around 180 have been booked. We intentionally keep several rooms in reserve to accommodate guests in case of unexpected operational issues. In practical terms, our occupancy has reached about 90 per cent,’ he said.
Visitors from across the country said they had chosen to experience Cox’s Bazar in the monsoon because of its unique natural beauty.
Rakib Hasan, who travelled from Dhaka with his family, said the beach looked completely different during the rainy season.
‘The cloudy sky, rough waves and cool breeze create a wonderful atmosphere. We took advantage of the public holiday and weekend to come here,’ he said.
Sabiha Islam, a visitor from Rajshahi, said she had heard that Cox’s Bazar offers a different experience during the monsoon.
‘Now I can see why. It rains for a while, and then the sun comes out again. The changing weather makes the trip even more enjoyable,’ she said.
Mahmudul Hasan, who visited Chattogram with friends, said many people assumed the monsoon was not a suitable time to visit Cox’s Bazar.
‘But we found the beach crowded with tourists. The safety arrangements are also good. We are following the lifeguards’ instructions and staying within the designated safe areas because red warning flags have been hoisted,’ he said.
Authorities have stepped up safety measures to cope with the large number of visitors. Personnel from the district administration’s tourism cell, Tourist Police, Sea Safe Lifeguards and beach management teams are on duty throughout the day.
Mohammad Osman Gani, senior lifeguard and supervisor of Sea Safe Lifeguards, said they were experiencing one of their busiest periods.
‘The beach is receiving an exceptionally large number of visitors. Because of rough sea conditions during the monsoon, red flags have been hoisted at several points. We urge tourists to remain within safe zones and strictly follow the instructions of lifeguards,’ he said.
Tourism stakeholders expect visitor numbers to remain high throughout the holiday period, bringing increased business to hotels, restaurants, transport operators and other tourism-dependent enterprises in Cox’s Bazar.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdu Rashid Manik
