Tour operators expect a business boom during the Eid vacation after two years of slump worsened by political unrest.
Industry executives said political stability will help boost the flow of local and foreign tourists this year.
"We are expecting good business with local tourists during the Eid vacation as the political condition is better and service holders are going to enjoy nearly a nine-day holiday", Managing Director of Galaxy Travel International Taufiq Uddin Ahmed told the FE:
Last year political instability forced the tourism industry to incur massive losses.
The hotel booking has swelled by more than 90 per cent ahead of the Muslims' biggest festival compared to that of the last year, data from the Tour Operators' Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) showed.
Abul Kauim Chawdhury, General Secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel and Guest House Owners' Association, said around 80 per cent of the hotel rooms have been booked in more than 400 hotels in the resort town.
He said that if weather was favorable the booking would go up to 100 per cent by the next week.
He said the local tour operators also are taking big preparation as large number of local and foreigner tourists are expected to visit Cox's Bazar endowed with the world's longest sea beach.
MN Karim, Chairman of Ocean Paradise Hotel and Resort in Cox's Bazaar, said his hotel has advance booking for the second and the third day of Eid. The hotel is expected to have full booking for the rest of the week.
Kamrul Islam, assistant general manager of United Airways, said local private airliners expect to do good business this year with Eid-ul-Fitr holiday thanks to a stable political environment.
He said his company has already sold out more than 90 per cent of their July 24- August 07 tickets on the routes of tourist hotspots such as Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Sylhet.
United Airways, Regent Airways, Novoair and US-Bangla Airlines currently serve the domestic routes.
HM Hakim Ali, President of Bangladesh international Hotel Association said, last year the industry passed critical time due to frequent shutdown and hartals, but this year he expects to rope in substantial tourists.
He said they are expecting to recoup the losses during the coming Eid vacation as a large number of local holiday makers usually visit Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and the hilly districts.
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