Ramadan discounts: Hotels-resorts offer deals as tourism slows

The tourism sector has experienced a downturn during the current peak season. Industry operators report that the prevailing law and order situation and the broader political context have adversely affected business performance this year.

In addition, the national election led to a temporary slump in hotel, motel and resort operations across major tourist destinations.

With the holy month of Ramadan set to start next week, the sector now faces further slowdown. Taken together, these factors have created a challenging environment for resorts and hotels.

To attract visitors and stimulate demand, many establishments have introduced special discounts and promotional packages.

Several resorts and hotels have announced discounted packages in anticipation of Ramadan and Eid. Some properties have specifically designed Ramadan-focused offers to encourage bookings during this period.

Sadia Haque, co-founder and chief executive officer of ShareTrip, stated that the tourism sector’s business has declined by 10 to 15 per cent this year compared with last year.

She attributed the downturn to the election, security concerns and the overall situation in the country.

Stakeholders in the tourism industry noted that leisure travel typically declines further once Ramadan begins. Winter remains Bangladesh’s principal tourism season, yet the sector did not perform well this year.

During Ramadan, increased religious and family commitments tend to reduce travel. To mitigate losses, hotels, motels and resorts have introduced substantial discounts to maintain occupancy.

Resorts in Gazipur have launched various promotional offers. Sarah Resort, located in Rajbari, Gazipur, has offered discounts ranging from approximately 30 to 60 per cent on different categories of rooms since early January, according to information published on its Facebook page.

Towards the end of January, the resort offered a 53 per cent discount across all room categories.

Another premium property, Bhawal Resort & Spa in Gazipur, has not yet introduced discounts but plans to offer a 50 per cent reduction on all rooms during Ramadan.

Atiqur Rahman, assistant manager of Bhawal Resort & Spa, stated that guest arrivals began to decline a week before the election.

In February last year, the resort achieved a 50 per cent room booking rate; this February, bookings have reached only 20 per cent to date.

Kaalmegha Country Club & Resort, another Gazipur property, has offered a 30 per cent discount on villa bookings during the current month and announced a 50 per cent discount for Ramadan.

Chuti Resort and several other resorts in Gazipur have also introduced various pre- and post-Ramadan promotional offers to attract visitors.

In Sylhet, hotels and motels contribute an average of approximately Tk 15 million (1.5 crore) in monthly revenue to the government during strong business periods.

Sylhet generally attracts higher tourist numbers during the winter and monsoon seasons.

Srimangal, another prominent tourist destination in the Sylhet region and widely known as the tea capital of Bangladesh, hosts several star-rated hotels and resorts.

Balishira Resort in Srimangal offered a 32 per cent discount on all rooms in January. The resort continues to provide up to 40 per cent discounts on selected rooms, depending on category.

Ayon Sharma, reservation executive at Balishira Resort, stated that room bookings have declined by approximately 20 per cent compared with the previous year.

Although demand showed some resilience in January, it dropped significantly in February.

He noted that during Ramadan, the resort sometimes experiences periods of four to five consecutive days without any guests.

In Cox’s Bazar, one of the country’s principal tourist destinations, hotel operators have also recorded lower room bookings. They anticipate a further decline once Ramadan begins.

To counter this trend, many hotels and resorts have introduced discounts ranging from 30 to 50 per cent. Some are also preparing special iftar and sahri packages.

Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa in Cox’s Bazar has reduced the minimum room rate to Tk 5,000 during Ramadan, compared with the previous rate of Tk 8,000.

AKM Asadur Rahman, chief marketing and revenue officer of Sea Pearl Beach Resort & Spa Limited, told Prothom Alo that tourist travel typically declines by 70 to 80 per cent during Ramadan.

He added that tourist numbers had already begun to decrease earlier this month due to the election. However, he expressed optimism that the sector may perform well during Eid if the overall situation in the country remains stable.