Cox's Bazar to become hot tourist spot during Eid

---

Jasim Uddin Haroon
Thousands of peoples mainly from the capital are expected to spend their Eid vacation in Cox's Bazar triggering tour business to a new height, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) and transport operators told the FE.
The local visitors are likely to start journey for the natural beach from October 2, and it will continue until October 10, bus operators said.
They said tickets until October 10 of luxury bus services have been sold out in advance.
BPC officials said they learnt that rooms of most of the hotels and motels were also booked in advance in Cox's Bazar for the period.
"We expect a large gathering at Cox's Bazar during this year's Eid," said Shafique Alam Mehedi, chairman of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation.
BPC chief said local people are visiting Cox's Bazar during Eid vacation mainly because of its (Cox's Bazar) retaining the top position in the world's seven natural spots for a long time.
As of Monday, the rank of Cox's Bazar was third in the world's new seven wonders. The position fluctuates due to voting system, the voting for final selection will end July in 2009.
BPC chief said it took a number of steps for encouraging local people to visit the natural beach through roads show and other promotional activities.
The Cox's Bazar, is known for its wide sandy beach which is claimed to be the world's longest natural sandy sea beach.
A senior official at the Greenline, a leading air conditioned bus services, told the FE that around 2000 city dwellers will leave for Cox's Bazar each day during the vacation and tickets have been sold in advance.
"We have no ticket for Cox's Bazar after Eid," said a salesman at Unique Paribahan at Sayadabad office Sunday.
It is expected that a large number of visitors will go by train upto Chittagong, then by bus upto Cox's Bazar.
Sajjad Hossain, deputy general manager of newly launched Baghdad Express, said they also increased the number of buses in the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar route after Eid adding: "We also sold out all tickets until October 10."
Parvez Chowdhury, an official of the BPC told the FE that its motels having capacity of 118 twin beds were booked one and half months back for the season.
Kamrul Islam, an official at the United Airways told the FE that it has sold at least 50 per cent tickets for the beach city during the period of Eid vacation until October 7.