MOKAMMEL SHUVO

After a month-long slowdown in business during Ramadan, businesses in Cox’s Bazar are expecting more than Tk 700 crore in revenue in the week following Eid-ul-Fitr owing to a massive surge of tourists.

The beach town is now bustling with visitors, with more than 100,000 holidaymakers arriving daily.

Abul Kasem Sikdar, president of the Hotel, Motel, and Guest House Owners’ Association in Cox’s Bazar, said on Wednesday that the trend is likely to continue through next week.

“While the influx of tourists is promising, hotels have not yet reached full capacity. Before Ramadan, Cox’s Bazar saw a massive influx of tourists, which is why many have opted not to visit this time. As a result, only about 70 to 80 percent of hotel and motel rooms have been booked. Additionally, the hot weather has discouraged some travelers,” Sikdar said.

“However, by Friday or Saturday, we expect hotel occupancy to reach 100 percent. Currently, over 100,000 people are visiting Cox’s Bazar daily, spending an estimated Tk 10,000 per person. This would bring the total income from the tourism sector to around Tk 700 crore in a week,” he added.

Sharing similar projections, Abu Morshed Chowdhury, president of the Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce, estimated that the tourism industry would see a gross turnover of around Tk 700 crore in the week following Eid. He emphasised that this revenue includes all sectors linked to tourism.

He further noted that hoteliers have been urged to keep accommodation rates reasonable to ensure a positive experience for visitors.

Sifat Saifullah, a supervisor at Sea Save Lifeguard, reported that more than 150,000 people visited Kolatoli, Sugandha, and Laboni beaches from morning till evening on Wednesday.

He also mentioned that 27 Sea Save lifeguards were on duty to assist visitors.

Ensuring security remains a top priority, according to Inspector Jahangir Alam of Cox’s Bazar Tourist Police.

“Strict security measures have been implemented across the beach and hotel-motel zones. Uniformed officers, mobile patrols, and plainclothes detectives are actively working to ensure the safety of tourists,” he said.

Sharif Hossain, a newlywed from Dhaka’s Rampura, shared his experience, “Security arrangements are excellent, but due to high demand, rent and food prices are a bit expensive.”