[🇧🇩] Bangladesh Tourism

[Saif]

Building a tourists' paradise: What holds us back?

Preparing human resources in the field of tourism to create a standard that attracts both foreign and domestic tourists is crucial. If a tourist-friendly ambience can be created, Bangladesh can expect a big impact on its economic and cultural development through its tourism industry writes Zanjab

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Building a tourists' paradise: What holds us back?
ZANJABIL MASHKURA
Published :
Dec 17, 2024 00:04
Updated :
Dec 17, 2024 00:04

People enjoy Eid vacation in the world's longest natural sea beach in Cox's Bazar Photo : Xinhua

Preparing human resources in the field of tourism to create a standard that attracts both foreign and domestic tourists is crucial. If a tourist-friendly ambience can be created, Bangladesh can expect a big impact on its economic and cultural development through its tourism industry
writes Zanjabil Mashkura.

In a world full of adventure and exploration, tourism holds a powerful place. Walking down the streets of different cultures and witnessing the local lifestyle give an unmatched experience. That's why tourism remains one of the top five exports in more than 150 countries, reflecting the widespread demand and desire of travellers worldwide.

Tourism has enormous prospects for a developing destination like Bangladesh. The country offers warm hospitality and widespread natural beauty. Known for its stunning landscapes, Bangladesh is home to river streams, mountains, tea gardens, and sandy beaches.

Although Bangladesh has the x-factor to become the next popular tourist destination, there are issues in this field that cannot be ignored. The absence of a sustainable tourism industry, environmentally hazardous tourism activities, and undistributed job opportunities are eating up the prospects of this industry.

There are seventy-five islands in the coastal areas of Bangladesh accessible to tourists. None of these islands gets enough tourists compared to other South Asian countries. In 2023, Bangladesh's tourism industry contributed US$ 9.5 billion to the country's GDP while Thailand's tourism revenue for the same period was US$35 billion from 28 million foreign visitors. Indonesia's tourism revenue in 2023 was US$10.46 billion which is close to that of Bangladesh.

Organising and redecorating our islands with our neighbouring countries will get us more tourists since we have a large population to serve. Foreigners will also find it convenient to travel here as Bangladesh is more affordable in terms of food and accommodation than almost countries. But first, we have to understand how these countries maintain the international standard that attracts such an immense number of tourists each year.

People from all over the world visit Thailand to witness the scenic beauty of Maya Bay. Surprisingly, Maya Bay stays closed for two months every year just to help recover its ecosystem. The Thai government even forbade it for tourists to swim in its waters so that it does not get polluted. If the same thing had been applied in Bangladesh, for instance, closing Saint Martin's Island for more than two months, everyone would have gone wild. It proves how little environmentally conscious we are. The majority of the tourist spots in Bangladesh are exposed to pollution due to the carelessness of the visitors.

The famous island destinations of South Asia such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand have one thing in common, a diverse beach life. These countries decorate their beaches tastefully, with lights, food stalls, walkways, and fire shows, creating an amusing vibrant nightlife. People enjoy the beach underneath the moon as waves crash to the shore. Additionally, they have branded themselves as a safe sustainable tourist destination globally where women and children can roam around fearlessly. Unfortunately, in our country, beach activities pretty much end for most people as soon as the sun sets.

In Bangladesh, we need to acquire stable transportation facilities for island hopping activities to different nearby islands such as Chera Dwip, Maheshkhali Dwip, Shonadia Dwip, Shondip, and many more. A proper package system for island hopping at a reasonable price should be made available to the tourists.

Another major difference found in the tourism industry of Bangladesh compared to other popular Asian countries is the cost of accommodation. Countries like India, Nepal, or even Malaysia offer 3- or 4-star hotels at an affordable rate. In contrast, hotels of the same standard in places like Sylhet or Cox's Bazar cost almost double, which is unacceptable. People who travel regularly know it well; hence, they choose to visit nearby countries where they can rent cheaply and enjoy more.

Currently, there are many fish sanctuaries, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries which can enhance the tourism sector's expansion. We can invest the revenue earned from coastal tourism activities to build infrastructure such as aquariums and safari parks that match the standards of Dubai and Singapore.

With the expansion of the tourism industry, demand for professionals in the field of tourism and hospitality, hotel management, and tour guides will also rise. According to a report, coastal tourism, which is based on a country's sea, or coastal region-related tourism activities will employ 1.5 million additional people globally by 2030. If we can manage proper planning and execution, even Bangladesh can create huge employment opportunities in the tourism sector.

Currently, many job opportunities in this field are ruined by scams and fraud. For example, many beach photographers are willing to take photos, but the fees they charge at times are simply obnoxious and uncomfortable for the tourists just wanting to have a good time. Foreigners feel unsafe visiting countries like Bangladesh and India because of the fear of being mugged. But these same people are visiting other Asian countries one after another, flexing about their facilities.

Tourists, especially the younger generation, love the thrill of exploring. Our Chattogram division has so many blood-rushing activities to offer in the mountains of Bandarban and the hilltops of Khagrachhari. Captivating places like Debotakhum, Nafakhum, and Amiakhum, where one can get lost in nature, should be made easily accessible. Cave exploring, mountain climbing, luxury long-tail boat tours, and kayaking activities require skilled professionals. It is crucial to train and hire professional enlisted tour guides rather than locals attempting to con tourists.

The northern region of Bangladesh showcases a rich cultural and historical heritage. The area is home to numerous archeological sites and historical monuments. All these historical and archeological sites require expert guides with sufficient familiarity with the place. Unskilled tour guides with less knowledge of the history and culture of the sites automatically feel a bit off. Another important sector of tourism where employment gets wasted due to scams is through unauthorised travel agencies. There should be coordination and chain relations among various service sectors of the tourism industry. Information regarding planes, ferries, bus tickets, hotels and resorts, and entertainment activities should be easily available on websites.

It is important to gain the trust of the tourists. The price of the services provided by different agencies should be somewhat identical. The price discrepancy in different agencies and the uncertainty of access to smooth services have eroded people's faith in agencies. If the agencies could provide improved customer services, it would generate more jobs in this sector.

In today's world, social media promotion is very impactful. People coming from developed countries love to explore the world and try out new things. As a result, the majority of Asian tourist destinations, such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, are filled with Western tourists.

The goal is to attract them through social media and provide standard customer services. If the standards are maintained and promotion goes well, both Asian and Western tourists will be inclined to visit Bangladesh. Thus, we can earn foreign currency and improve our lifestyle by mixing with different cultures.

Despite the great potential of our tourism industry, a lot of improvement is needed regarding proper planning and management. Investigating the opportunities and potentials of tourism and prescribing necessary recommendations for reformation and improvement of the tourism sector should be the primary target. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is necessary to create a sustainable travel industry in Bangladesh.

Preparing human resources in the field of tourism to create a standard that attracts both foreign and domestic tourists is crucial. Tourist police must remain alert at every tourist spot to make sure that the tourists do not get scammed by anyone. If a tourist-friendly ambience can be created, Bangladesh can expect a big impact on its economic and cultural development through its tourism industry.​

 

[Saif]

HC issues rule questioning tourist restrictions at Saint Martin’s Island

The High Court today issued a rule questioning the legality of the government's decision to impose restrictions on the movement and stay of tourists or citizens on the environmentally critical Saint Martin’s Island

www.thedailystar.net

HC issues rule questioning tourist restrictions at Saint Martin’s Island

File photo

The High Court today issued a rule questioning the legality of the government's decision to impose restrictions on the movement and stay of tourists or citizens on the environmentally critical Saint Martin's Island.

In the rule, the court asked the officials concerned with the government including the forest, environment and climate change secretary and director general of the Department of the Environment (DoE) to explain in four weeks why the decision to impose the restrictions should not be declared illegal.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Cox's Bazar Citizens Forum President ANM Helal Uddin on November 21 challenging the legality of the decision.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change issued a memorandum on October 28 regarding the implementation of a five-point decision to control unrestrained tourism and single-use plastic pollution on the Island.

According to the decisions, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority will allow vessels to ply on the island with the consent of the environment ministry. Tourists will not be allowed to stay on the island in December and January. The average number of tourists there will not exceed 2,000 per day. There are added restrictions on light, noise and barbecue parties at night on the beach as well.

The petitioner's lawyer Md Uzzal Hossain told The Daily Star that the memorandum which was issued by the environment ministry is contradictory to article 36 of the constitution which guarantees freedom of movement.

However, if a ban is imposed on the movement of the people of the country, it must be subject to restrictions imposed by law. The ministry's memorandum is not a law, the lawyer said.

Advocate Amir Hossain also appeared for the writ petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Md Tanim Khan represented the state during the hearing of the petition.​

 

[Saif]

Kuakata is the only sea beach in the country, from where both sunrise and sunset can be enjoyed. Tourists flock to the beach in Kalapara of Patuakhali every day to enjoy the beauty of the sun and open sky. Details in the video ...

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka’s 5-star hotels facing a dearth of guests

Most of Dhaka’s five-star hotels are not faring well for a dearth of guests, as political uncertainties and security concerns following the August 5 student movement are putting off most events and travel plans.

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Dhaka’s 5-star hotels facing a dearth of guests

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Most of Dhaka's five-star hotels are not faring well for a dearth of guests, as political uncertainties and security concerns following the August 5 student movement are putting off most events and travel plans.

Industry insiders said the nine five-star hotels in Dhaka were facing difficulties as commuting within the capital has become troublesome owing to abrupt protests and untoward incidents.

Moreover, some countries such as the US, UK, and Japan have issued travel alerts discouraging their citizens from travelling to Bangladesh.

Hospitality service providers said the nine five-star hotels can host around 2,500 guests per night.

Business had slightly improved in October, but the momentum was lost in November as the risk of social unrest simmered, according to the management authorities of these hotels.

Business had slightly improved in October, but the momentum was lost in November as the risk of social unrest simmered, according to the management authorities of these hotels

"Business is yet to pick up despite a slight improvement compared to the situation in July and August," said Mohammed Nafeuzzaman, public relations manager of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka.

"Currently, our hotel occupancy rate is 30 percent, whereas it is around 65 percent under normal conditions," he said.

However, there has been a slight improvement in the occupancy rate in December, although the business has not returned to levels as per expectations, Nafeuzzaman said.

The hotel, which has 278 rooms, is located in the downtown area of the city, making it a preferred choice for business clients to hold events, he added.

According to Nafeuzzaman, revenue fluctuations in the hotel industry are normal and reflect the nature of the business.

"We do not operate purely on occupancy; we run an event-based business," he said, adding that the situation may improve in the coming days.

"Business is better than in July and August, and we turned a profit in October," he said.

Mahmud Hassan, director of sales and marketing at Dhaka Regency Hotel and Resort, said a lack of guests in mid-November had put the hotel in a precarious position.

"The number of guests increased to 80 to 100 per day in October but has since dropped to just 15 to 20," he added.

At present, the business is getting by catering to airline crews, he said.

Hassan said the number of business travellers, particularly from India, has fallen significantly due to ongoing tension between the two countries.

Moreover, very few business exhibitions are being organised, for which there are hardly any event-centric guests, he said.

"Under normal conditions, especially in winter, occupancy typically reaches 100 percent. However, there is no sign of improvement in guest numbers," he said.

Hassan also said a lack of new investment, be it by locals or foreigners, has negatively affected the luxury hotel industry. Furthermore, alerts issued by countries like the US and Japan discouraging travelling to Bangladesh have also impacted the hotel and hospitality sector, he added.

"The United Kingdom announced a travel alert on Tuesday, which has added to the challenges," Hassan said.

According to him, most of their guests usually arrive from China, India, and the US but now citizens of these countries reluctant to come on visits.

"Now the occupancy rate has dropped to 40 percent or 45 percent from around 60 percent in October," said Nazrul Islam, director of marketing and sales at Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden.

"Normally, our occupancy rate ranges from 78 percent to 80 percent," he said.

He said business travellers usually account for 70 percent to 80 percent of their room occupancy, but their numbers have declined significantly, severely affecting the hotel's business.

"Recovery possibility depends on stabilisation of the political and economic situation of the country," said Islam.

While there was a slight increase in business travellers in October, different incidents afterwards caused a decline again, he said.

"Currently, only 10 percent of the rooms are occupied by business travellers," he said, adding that while some representatives of non-governmental organisations were arriving from abroad, their numbers were minimal.

Islam also mentioned that airlines typically reserve 50 of the hotel's 200 rooms.

However, with fewer international flights departing from Dhaka, that number has also decreased, he said.

He said the overall situation has left the hotel unable to generate enough revenue to cover operational expenses.

"This applies to almost all five-star hotels, not just Radisson," said Islam.

However, Tuhinoor Sultana, cluster public relations manager at The Westin Dhaka, had a more optimistic view.

"Despite the overall challenging situation for international travellers, we are receiving a good number of guests from Europe and China," she said.

She also said the hotel has recorded an increase in corporate bookings for events, seminars, and symposiums over the past two months.

"We are on the path to recovery, but our performance does not reflect that of the overall the luxury hotel industry," she added.

According to Sultana, the occupancy rate at The Westin Dhaka has now increased to 70 percent, up from just 10 percent at the height of the political unrest in July-August.

She attributed this to the hotel's strategic location at Gulshan 2, an upscale area and business hub of the city.​

All these signs from hospitality sector are expected, given the shakeup and regime change. But exports are back on full swing, in fact lost business is being made up by shipping exports via air for the Holiday Season business.

I expect hotel rooms to be back at capacity once the new year rolls around for Spring season apparel market.

 

[Saif]

Domestic tourism heats up this winter

The local tourism industry was suffering from apprehension over the loss of business amid a long recession stemming from mass unrest, which began in July

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Domestic tourism heats up this winter

The beaches of Cox’s Bazar are currently teeming with visitors as people from all over Bangladesh are flocking to the popular tourist spot to enjoy their winter vacation. The situation is similar at other destinations in the country, breathing much-needed life into the domestic tourism industry. Photo: Mokammel Shuvo/Star

If you call your friends and relatives, you may find that some are off in the hills of Sajek valley of Rangamati or the sandy beaches of Cox's Bazar and other tourist hotspots across Bangladesh.

This is because educational institutions in the country have all closed for winter vacation, signalling the start of the main holiday season as families rush to enjoy the rest of 2024 amid the winter weather.

The local tourism industry was suffering from apprehension over the loss of business amid a long recession stemming from mass unrest, which began in July.

But business has been recovering since September and is now ongoing at full-swing, industry people said, adding that India's recent visa ban on Bangladeshi nationals has helped bolster domestic tourism.

The return of tourists has enabled hospitality service providers, such as hotels and restaurants, to hope for the recovery of losses sustained due to political turmoil in the third quarter of the current calendar year.

"We are totally full of tourists now. The flow of tourists in December exceeded our expectations," said Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox's Bazar Hotel Guest House Owners Association.

Photo: Mokammel Shuvo/Star

"However, the tourists' purchasing capacity seems to have been eroded by high inflation," he added.

He informed that the overall occupancy rate of hotels, resorts and guest houses in Cox's Bazar, the country's most popular tourist spot, has reached around 80 percent on weekdays and about 100 percent on weekends.

"But the flow of tourists has not increased compared to the previous December," Sikder said.

This year, a number of events, including the national elections, unfavourable weather, recurrent floods, political turmoil centing the Awami League's ouster and deterioration of law and order, affected domestic tourism.

"We had a dull period during July-September. But business started picking up in October and is now good," said Abdul Awal, group director (sales and marketing) of Sea Pearl Resorts and Spa in Cox's Bazar.

"It appears that the limited visa issuance by India has had a positive effect on the tourist flow," he added.

Industry people say that around 2 lakh tourists are visiting Cox's Bazar each day now, leaving its beaches packed with thousands of visitors, who are enjoying the wind and waves.

Mohammad Faruq, a member of Sea Safe Life Guard, estimated that around 80,000 tourists are now on the beaches of Cox's Bazar during peak hours.

In fact, the number of visitors is so high that some are struggling for accommodation.

Hasan Mir, a tourist from Gopibag of Dhaka, said he and his family came to Cox's Bazar without booking a hotel and had to suffer before finding a suitable hotel.

Tayen Ullah, the owner of Mermaid Resort Saint Martin, said around 2,000 tourists are coming to Saint Martin every day.

"But the number is not enough for locals to run their families round the year. Many hotel owners could not find guests. However, beach side hotel and resort owners are doing good business," he added.

Mirza Musfequr Salahin, chief executive officer of Travel Together and Ruilui Resort at Sajek, said the tourist flow recently increased.

"You will find many tourists on the streets of Sajek looking for hotels," he added.

However, he also said that it is normal for people to make a mad dash for tourist spots every December.

"We have not seen much of rush this year, particularly in the hills," he added.

According to our correspondent in Patuakhali, the number of people visiting the seaside town of Kuakata has increased amid the ongoing winter vacation and typically peaks on Fridays and Saturdays.

Motaleb Sharif, president of the Kuakata Hotel Motel Owners Association, said they hope the seasonal traders will be benefit from the current influx of tourists.​