Cox's Bazar beach empty of tourists for Ramadan

COX'S BAZAR, Mar 28: Cox's Bazar beach, the longest natural sea beach in the world,
is now experiencing a severe dearth of tourists for the holy month of Ramadan,
reflecting dull business in the tourism industry here.
During a recent visit, this correspondent found only a handful of visitors strolling along the Sugandha, Labani and Kalatali points of the beach.
Amid the scanty flow of tourists, officials and employees at the hotels, motels and restaurant are whiling away time.
The small businesses that are stationed on the sandy beach are not passing their usual busy time.
Basically, tourist flow to Cox's Bazar since the beginning of Ramadan has been quite negligible.
Chairs lined up in rows on the sandy beach are lying empty in the midst of bright sunshine. Cameramen are wandering with no specific job at hand.
Although Cox's Bazar usually remains crowded throughout the year, not too many tourists come here during the month of Ramadan.
It is learnt that there are more than 500 hotels-motels and 400 restaurants in the tourist town.
The majority of hotels and restaurants have been kept shut in absence of an adequate number of tourists.
In the wake of the current situation, hotels, guesthouses and resorts have announced special discounts up to 60 per cent on room rents for tourists during the month of fasting; yet they could not draw desired number of customers.
Tourism industry insiders said that there is seen a severe dearth of tourists in the beach area during Ramadan.
Now there are staying about 2,000 to 2,500 tourists in all the hotels and motels of the town.
Not only hotels and restaurants, other tourism-related businesses are also experiencing sluggish business due to Ramadan.
Especially, the oyster, pickle, fish fry and cloth shops in the beach area are almost closed.
At the same time, cleaning and decoration work is going on as the Eid-ul-fitr is nearing.
During a visit on Wednesday (March 27) noon, Sugandha, Labani and Kalatali points of the beach were seen almost empty of visitors.
Horsemen, bikers, lifeguards and cameramen are spending their free time.
Tourists Ripon Barua and Sathi Barua said on the occasion of Ramadan, they came to visit with their families because the news of special discounts by the hotels and motels in Cox's Bazar attracted them.
"The different environment of the beach without any noise is very nice. I can enjoy the real beauty of the sea. I'm getting exactly what I want to get on the beach in complete silence," said one of them.
Another tourist Shimul Sharma said, "The quiet environment of the beach feels wonderful. As there is no pressure of people in Cox's Bazar now, I took a long bath in the salt water of the sea. A handful of people are seen on the beach. This period seems to be more enjoyable in Cox's Bazar than December, January. Because now everything from food to room rent is cheaper."
Kamrul Hasan, an oyster trader on the beach, said, "Before Ramadan, there were millions of people on the beach. Now there are no tourists in Ramadan, there are very few tourists. Our business is going badly because of the lack of tourists."
Cameraman Hasan Ali said very few tourists come to Cox's Bazar during Ramadan.
Labani, Sugandha and Kalatali points together do not see more than 1,000 tourists every day during Ramadan.
Horse owner Masud Rana said, "There are no tourists during Ramadan, so there is no income. That's why I can't feed the horses properly. There is no business during the month of Ramadan."
Zainal Abedin, director of Hotel Royal Beach, said that there are absolutely no tourists on beach in the month of Ramadan.
Few tourists come to Cox's Bazar now. Tourists cannot be retained even with 60 per cent discount on hotel rents.
President of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners Association Abul Kashem Sikder said, "Very few tourists come to Cox's Bazar during Ramadan. Keeping this in mind, special discounts have been given on rents of hotel-motel rooms. Now there are few tourists in Cox's Bazar."
"Like other years, most of the restaurants have been closed during this month (Ramadan). The employees have been sent on leave with one month's salary and bonus in advance," he also said.
"A special discount up to 60 per cent has been announced against the room rent of hotels, guesthouses and resorts to attract tourists throughout the month of Ramadan.
Hopefully, a large number of tourists will arrive in Cox's Bazar during the Eid holiday," he added.

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