Cox’s Bazar, a go-to vacation spot for any form of celebration, has witnessed a disappointing turnout in the course of the New 12 months celebrations this yr.
“Companies right here made preparations with a income goal of not less than Tk360 crore in the course of the New 12 months holidays however solely half of the goal was achieved,” mentioned Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka, president of the Cox’s Bazar Chamber of Commerce and Business.
Stakeholders attributed this downturn to strict authorities restrictions on outside occasions, numerous mismanagement, subpar service high quality, and the rising development of overcharging guests in Cox’s Bazar – one of many nation’s high vacationer spots well-known for its lengthy pure seafront.
“New 12 months celebrations are a increase season for tourism in Cox’s Bazar however we had been stunned to see this yr’s crowd dimension,” mentioned Abul Kashem Sikder, president of Cox’s Bazar Lodge Motel Visitor Home House owners’ Affiliation.
“We anticipated that not less than three lakh vacationers would flock to the coastal city for the three-day celebrations. As a substitute, we noticed 50,000-60,000 guests on common per day, which is means under the standard quantity that we’ve seen within the earlier years,” he mentioned.
There was no association centering on the thirty-first-night celebrations within the city. Apart from, limitations had been additionally imposed on organising indoor occasions inside residential accommodations, additional laying aside vacationers, Abul Kashem mentioned.
The mismanagement within the tourism sector is well-known. Oftentimes, when the variety of vacationers surges forward of an event, a bunch of seasonal merchants make the most of the state of affairs to earn extra cash, mentioned the resort house owners’ chief, including that every one of those points created a unfavourable notion of Cox’s Bazar amongst vacationers.
Abdur Rahman, president of the Better Seaside Enterprise House owners’ Affiliation, mentioned vacationers determined to not go to Cox’s Bazar this time primarily because of the restrictions on outside programmes.
“Why would folks come if they can’t take pleasure in their time right here freely? There have been no outside preparations to have fun New 12 months’s Eve,” he mentioned.
Apart from, tourism is a service-dependent enterprise. You will need to improve the standard of service right here, Abdur Rahman added.
When requested why increasingly persons are reluctant to go to Cox’s Bazar, Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka, president of the Cox’s Bazar Chamber, identified just a few points, together with the ban on open occasions on the seaside, restrictions on organising indoor occasions, the unwell competitors amongst businessmen to overcharge clients, the harassment vacationers face by middlemen, and the struggling of passengers on the Saint Martin’s-bound ships.
“Vacationers now don’t really feel secure and comfy coming to Cox’s Bazar. There are such a lot of irregularities within the tourism enterprise which could possibly be curtailed if the administration had elevated surveillance,” mentioned the commerce chief.
