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Most of the rooms in more than five hundred hotels in Cox’s Bazar remained empty during the Eid-ul-Azha holidays despite the discount offers on room rent from 40 to 60 per cent.
Industry experts blamed rainy weather and the suspension of tourist ship movement on Teknaf to Saint Martin's route due to conflict inside Myanmar for the arrival of fewer tourists.
During several visits to hotels, guesthouses and cottages in the Kalatali area of the beach town from June 16 to 19, the correspondent found that 60 to 70 per cent of the rooms in most of the hotels were empty.
Various entertainment centres in the district, including Cox's Bazar to Teknaf Marine Drive, Buddhist temple in Ramu, Dulahajara Safari Park etc, were also found almost empty.
Salim Newaz, general secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Guesthouse Owners Association, said More than five hundred hotels, guesthouses, resorts and cottages in the city have a daily capacity of 160,000 tourists.
He said about 600,000 tourists visited Cox's Bazar during the last five days of Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
“Despite offering discounts of up to 60 per cent on room rent, the beach is less crowded in this Eid-ul-Azha,” Salim Newaz said.
However, he hoped, “If the situation is normal, 50,000 tourists can visit from till June 28.”