Corona cripples tour operators

Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh president Md Rafeuzzaman
Prothom Alo

The tourism industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. Most trips, tours and bookings are being cancelled. President of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) Md Rafeuzzaman speaks to Prothom Alo about the present predicament of the sector.

Q :

What is the state of the tourism industry in Bangladesh following the coronavirus outbreak?

The tourism sector is hit the hardest in times of any calamity. In November last year the first coronavirus patient was detected in China. After China, this spread to Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

Many people come to Bangladesh and also travel abroad during winter as the weather is pleasant and schools are also closed at this time. So December to February is the peak tourist season. But coronavirus has crushed our business. The virus has spread extensively in all European countries as well as in the US and other countries. Air links with most countries have been suspended. People are too scared to go out. Many countries have out an embargo on travel. Travellers are cancelling their bookings. Corona has crippled the tour operators.

Q :

Local tourists use the tour operator services too. What about local tourism?

A big chunk of our business comes from local tourism, but there has been a negative impact here too. The local administration has prohibited public gatherings at Cox's Bazar, Khagrachhari, Bandarban and Kuakata due to corona. Of course, we support this decision in the greater interests of the country. Though it is harming our business, we are not offering any tour packages for local tourism. We are not marketing our services in this regard. We do not want people to go around the country through the tour operators in this time of coronavirus.

The government should provide incentives to the sector. If that is not possible, then they can provide interest-free loans on easy terms. Also, if taxes and the annual civil aviation fees as exempted, this will be a huge relief.
Md Rafeuzzaman, President, TOAB

Q :

What percentage of the bookings of your association's 700 members has been cancelled?

One hundred percent of the overseas bookings have been cancelled, both to the country and out of the country. In a package, a tour operator arranges for the air ticket, hotel booking, guide, travel and sightseeing for the tourist. With these bookings being cancelled, everyone is facing financial losses. Saudi Airlines and a handful of others are not taking refunds fees when the tickets are being cancelled.

The other airlines are imposing the refund charge and so the tour operators are requesting the clients not to cancel their bookings, but to postpone these instead. The clients are not agreeing to this and are cancelling their bookings. The tour operators have having to refund the clients' money and are facing losses.ng the clients not to cancel their bookings, but to postpone these instead. The clients are not agreeing to this and are cancelling their bookings. The tour operators have having to refund the clients' money and are facing losses.

Q :

Are tour operators going to lay off staff in order to salvage their business during this corona crisis?

The tour operators have failed to do any business during the peak season because of corona and so we decided to send 25 to 30 per cent of our employees on retirement with financial benefits. But we are reconsidering this decision on humanitarian grounds. We have asked our member operators not to lay off any employees for the next two months. If necessary, we will send our personal property to pay our staff wages. But if corona continues even after that, then we will not survive.

Q :

Taking China's experience into consideration, it will take at least two months or more for the virus to subside. Under the circumstances, what sort of support do you want from the government?

Tour operators are bringing in foreign remittance without harming the environment in any way and so given the circumstances, the government should provide incentives to the sector. If that is not possible, then they can provide interest-free loans on easy terms. Also, if taxes and the annual civil aviation fees as exempted, this will be a huge relief. Though 80 per cent of our preparation had been done, we had to postpone our international fair due to coronavirus. TOAB has faced huge financial loses because of this. We will need the government's financial support in future to hold this exposition.

* This interview appeared in the print edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir