August 17 blasts take toll on tourism

Parjatan Corporation Motel in Bandarban wears a desolate look as the August 17 blasts keep away tourists. PHOTO: STAR

Government and private tour operators in Bandarban fear a sharp fall in arrival of foreign tourists in the coming tourism season.

Md. Humayun Kabir, lessee of Bandarban Parjatan Corporation's Hotel said, "In Bangladesh, winter and spring are considered as the prime time for tourism. But we are apprehending a sharp fall in flow of tourists in the upcoming winter. Tourists are a bit scared now".

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This will also affect cottage industries because tourists are their main buyers, he said.

Kabir said he is already experiencing the bad symptoms.

"We are receiving phone calls from foreign guests about the latest situation. But they do not book hotel rooms".

Usually foreign tourists start coming from October. But we have no guests now, he said while talking to this correspondent on Friday.

The extra security measures also bother tourists. They are used to move freely and in a carefree atmosphere. They feel embarrassed because of the "unnecessary" security check off and on here and there and surveillance by security forces.

The number of foreign and local tourists is declining day by day because of security check, he said.

Mahabub Hasan Khokan, an official of Bandarban Resort, a posh private sector tourist hotel, said business started falling since the grenade attack on the Awami League rally in Dhaka on August 21 last year. "We are now worried as arrival of tourists in the country has sharply declined after the August 17 blasts this year", he said.

The scenic beauty of Bandarban attracts native tourists also.

But the August 17 blasts in Bandarban dealt a severe blow.

"More than 50 bookings were cancelled by tourists just after the bomb blasts,'' Khokan said.

The restriction imposed by some foreign embassies and missions in Dhaka on free movement of their officials and citizens has also severely affected the tourism industry, he said.

Around 1000 foreign tourists used to visit Bandarban during November-March, the prime tourism time in the area. They were mainly from European countries, the USA, Japan, China, India, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and some Middle East countries.

If the present situation continues, the number of guests will fall drastically, which will affect the local economy also, tour operators observed.