Tour operators, hoteliers and other stakeholders have geared up to welcome the holidaymakers who will be visiting various places of tourist attractions across the country during the five-day Eid vacation.
Sector insiders expressed the hope that tourist spots, hotels, resorts and theme parks would become vibrant with the presence of a large number of visitors during the Eid holidays beginning today (Tuesday).
Sources said about 80 per cent of hotels and resorts run by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and private hotels in Cox's Bazar have already been booked by the holidaymakers.
Also, a good number of holidaymakers are going to fly out of the country to make the most of this vacation, they said.
Contacted, a director of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) said people have shown greater interest in making trips both in and outside the country.
Increased purchasing power in tandem with people's growing interest to explore new places is propelling the growth of the tourism industry, said Syed Shafat Uddin Ahmed Tomal.
"Both domestic and outbound tourism have seen a surge in recent years, especially during two Eids," he said.
Holidaymakers mostly opt to visit tourist spots in Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban and Sylhet in the country, and many others fly to international destinations like Bali (Indonesia), Phuket (Thailand), India, Singapore and Malaysia, said the TOAB director.
"The bulk of our outbound tourists go to Shillong, Agra, Delhi and Manali in neighbouring India due to geographical proximity and affordability," he added.
According to sources, approximately 0.5 million holidaymakers make domestic trips while more than 0.1 million go abroad.
Md Mamun Ashraphi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Amazing Holidays, a tour agency, said most Bangladeshi tourists now opt to visit new places like Krabi (Thaliand) apart from traditional foreign destinations like India, Nepal and Bhutan.
"Many families in our country cannot take time off for travel abroad. So, Eid vacations are the best time for them," he said.
It's a good sign for the tourism sector that a large number of people are interested in making trips at home and abroad, he added.
Meanwhile, most rooms in hotels and resorts run by the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) have already been booked, said an official.
BPC manager Md Ziaul Haque Howlader said: "On an average, 80 per cent of the rooms have been booked for the next five to seven days from the second day of Eid-ul-Azha."
The remaining ones will also be booked soon, he said.
Like every year, Cox's Bazar is also expected to attract the highest number of tourists on this occasion, he said.
On the other hand, the situation is different in Khagrachhari, as seven people were killed in a gun attack in the district's Mahalchhari Upazila on Saturday.
"Many holidaymakers who planned to visit Khagrachhari will now go to Rangamati, Bandarban and Cox's Bazar instead," he said.
The BPC runs 46 hotels, motels and resorts in various tourism regions of the country, he said.
Hotels in Kuakata in Patuakhali district are also set to witness a huge crowd during the vacation, he added.
Contacted over phone, president of the Tour Operators Association of Cox's Bazar (TOAC) M Rezaul Karim said over 80 per cent of the hotel rooms in the beach town have already been booked.
According to his estimate, hotels in Cox's Bazar, as a whole, can accommodate at least 0.1 million tourists a night.
"Most tourists come here (Cox's Bazar) to spend one or two days, while some others from neighbouring districts make a day-long trip," he said.
In response to a query, he said the Rohingya issue is not posing any threat to the tourism sector.
"Actually, Rohingya camps are located far from the tourist hubs stretching across the world's longest sea beach," he said.
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