Cox’s Bazar hotels offer huge discount in Ramadan

Hotels and motels of Cox’s Bazar are offering special discounts in the holy month of Ramadan.

Cox’s Bazar sea beach, one of the most popular tourist attractions of the country, was teeming with thousands of tourists last Thursday and Friday. All hotels and guest houses were fully occupied on the weekend.

However, as Ramadan began on Sunday, the hotels and guest houses of Cox’s Bazar started to get deserted. The impact of the month of fasting is so much so that 95 per cent of over 500 hotels, guest houses and resorts are lying vacant. At least 40,000 hotel and restaurant employees have also gone on vacation.

To attract tourists during the month of Ramadan, the hotel authorities in Cox's Bazar have announced a maximum 70 per cent discount on room rent. That is, the rent for an air-conditioned room that is Tk 2,000 in normal time has been slashed to only Tk 600.

Even a special arrangement has been made to spend the night free of charge for the people who cannot afford to stay in a hotel. Hoteliers think those who have not been able to visit the Cox's Bazar beach and other tourist attractions in the district due to additional expenses can take advantage of this special discount during the month of Ramadan.

Mukim Khan, general secretary of Kolatoli Hotel Resort Owners Association, told Prothom Alo that more than 4,000 tourists visited Cox’s Bazar on Sunday, the first day of Ramadan.

Hotels are offering up to 70 per cent discount on room rent. Arrangements are there to stay at hotels for free for the tourists with financial crisis. The special discount will remain in place till Eid day. Over 500 hotels and restaurants are retentive of 187,000 tourists.

The seven-story Rain View Resort in Kalatali has 51 rooms. Only four rooms were occupied on Sunday. The adjacent Hotel Cox International has 25 rooms. There were guests in only one room while 24 were vacant.
Nazim Uddin, owner of the Shahjadi Resort at Dolphin Crossing, said 43 out of 45 rooms of his resort are vacant. The hotels remain vacant during the month of Ramadan every year. However, the announcement of this special discount may bring some tourists.

Nazim said his resort is offering up to 70 per cent discount on room rent to attract tourists.

The hotel owners said that at least 2.1 million tourists came to the beach in November and December last year. During this time, the hotel rooms were fully occupied. Some 6-7 million tourists arrived in January and February of this year.

Abul Kashem Sikder, president of the Cox's Bazar Hotel and Guesthouse Owners Association, said that a maximum discount of 70 per cent is being offered. At least 99 per cent of restaurants in Cox's Bazar remain shut during the month of Ramadan. Most hotel, guesthouse and cottage employees are also sent on compulsory leave. Already, 30-40 thousand employees have gone on leave. The hotels are being kept open with the remaining 10-15 thousand employees. Renovation and painting work is underway at some hotels. However, several hotels and restaurants have arranged for Sahri and Iftar for tourists.