Cox's Bazar businesses expect a bigger turnover for Durga Puja

COX'S BAZAR, Oct 09: Business enterprises in tourist town Cox's Bazar are expecting to see a surge in their turnover this month (October) due to Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus.

Meanwhile, holidaymakers have already started flocking to Cox's Bazar, the world's longest sea beach, centring festivity of Durga Puja.

Many government and private organisation employees have come to the beach town taking advance leave to enjoy the occasion. And their presence has added to the general crowd here, raising hope for bigger sales in the business shops.

Tourism sector insiders here said after the anti-discrimination student-mass movement that led to the Awami League government's ouster, normalcy has returned in the business environment here for the first time over Durga Puja. On this occasion, business activities here are getting a new momentum.

Consequently, business enterprises in the town are counting windfall profits and subsequently a substantial monthly turnover.

Apart, the hospitality industry in the country's biggest tourist destination is also eyeing a big spiral in monthly revenue centring the festival. Most of the rooms in more than 500 hotels-resorts of Cox's Bazar have been booked before October 16. Some hotels are offering special discounts on the occasion of Durga Puja.

Besides, shoppers' crowd has increased in various markets, especially Burmese Market, in the town.

During a visit on Tuesday (October 8) afternoon, an overwhelming crowd of tourists could be seen at various points of the beach.

Presence of several lakh tourists was observed in an area ranging at least two kilometers from Kalatali beach point to Lavani beach point.

The town roads also remained crowded from morning till evening on Tuesday.

Apart from the beach, tourists were seen having trips towards Himachari, Daryanagar, Inani, Saint Martin, Maheshkhali, Ramu Buddhist Temple and Dulahazara Safari Park outside the district headquarters.

Tourist Samir Mallick talking to the FE correspondent at Sugandha Point said, "This time I have taken advance leave from office before Durga Puja I will spend the whole holiday in Cox's Bazar. I haven't come to the beach for a long time. It feels good to come to Cox's Bazar with family."

Sanjit Sen, a tourist coming from Dhaka's Mirpur, said, "I thought I would spend the entire Puja holiday here. But in Cox's Bazar everything from food, room rent is very expensive. With the cost of coming to Cox's Bazar from Dhaka, one can easily travel in Thailand, Maldives and Singapore. Cox's Bazar's tourism industry may suffer a lot due to syndicates and excessive product pricing."

Gias Uddin, a tourist coming from Sylhet, said that everything is more expensive in Cox's Bazar. The prices of products are much lower in other tourist centres of Bangladesh than in Cox's Bazar.

Tourism officials said alongside 40-50 per cent discount on room rent, hotel-motel authorities are organising autumn packages and hilsa festival.

Industry insiders hope that tourism business can return to its normal shape next week as there will be a holiday of three consecutive days due to Durga Puja and weekend.

There are more than 500 hotels, motels and guest houses in Cox's Bazar with accommodation capacity for about 0.3 million tourists.

Assistant Superintendent of Police of Cox's Bazar Tourist Police Abul Kalam said there have been deployed an adequate number of police personnel on the beach for the safety of tourists. Besides, there will be on patrol plainclothes police at important points.

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