Tour operators and hoteliers are expecting a boom in their business on the occasion of Pahela Boishakh, the first day of the Bangla New Year.
The sector players are taking preparations to welcome local and international tourists during Pahela Boishakh, reports the Financial Express.
The tour operators as well as hotel and motel businesses have already taken massive preparations as a large number of tourists are expected to visit Cox’s Bazar, St Martin’s Island, Sundarban, Kuakata, Srimongol, Mainamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati.
According to Tour Operators’ Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), the hotel bookings have swelled by more than 60 per cent just ahead of Pahela Boishakh.
Aktaruz Zaman Khan Kabir, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bangladesh Tourism Board, told the FE that during the Pahela Boishakh celebrations, they expect big business with local and international tourists.
He said, “We have been taking big preparation as a large number of local and foreign tourists are expected to visit Cox’s Bazar, the most attractive tourist spot for Bangladesh having the longest sea beach in the world.”
A leader of Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel and Guesthouse Owners’ Association said around 70 per cent of the rooms has been booked in more than 400 hotels in Cox’s Bazar area.
Roksana Amin, a businesswoman who lives in city’s Mirpur area said, “We have planned to go to Rangamati on Pahela Boishakh.”
She said every year they try to visit several tourist spots during Pahela Boishakh as accordingly they wait to spend some times with family members outside Dhaka.
A banker named Abdus Sattar said he has a plan to visit Cox’s Bazar on the first day of the month of Boishakh. “I want to travel with my family and have taken three-day leave from my office.”
HM Hakim Ali, president of Bangladesh International Hotel Association, said due to political instability in last three months, the industry faced hard times. “During the time, we have passed time almost idly.”
They are now expecting to recoup the losses as a large number of local and international tourists usually visit Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and the hilly districts during Pahela Boishakh.
