A relatively long vacation marking this Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to draw holidaymakers to local tourist destinations, but the cost-push inflation across the board is still a cause for concern for many.

After the pandemic took the glitz out of the hospitality industry for about two years, the business is gradually making a comeback, but repeated hikes in prices are feared to be standing in the way for a brisk business.

‘Tourism business craves a boon during vacations, but this year it might take a hit considering the inflationary pressure people are going through,’ said Bangladesh Tourism Board chief executive officer Abu Tahir Muhammad Zaber.

He added that after the completion of the Padma Bridge, many tourist destinations opened up in the southern part of the country.

‘Tourist spots in Bagerhat, Khulna and the Sunderbans became more accessible and less time-consuming because of the Padma Bridge. These places are expected to welcome many tourists,’ he added.

The country is set to enjoy a long holiday session during this Eid-ul-Fitr as the government announced a general holiday on April 20 while April 19, Shab-e-Qadr, is also a public holiday.

The probable Eid holidays are April 21, 22 and 23, making a five-day holiday altogether.

Tourism Resort Industries Association of Bangladesh chairman Kabir Uddin Ahmed said that hotels and resorts expected to do good business during the Eid as they remained fully booked through a couple of weeks following the festival.

‘Local tourism had a good vibe in 2022 and we hope the popularity would sustain even amid the soaring prices of everything,’ he added.

Three districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts are perennially popular among tourists looking for mountains, waterfalls and adventurous activities.

Siam Raihan, a private firm employee, has planned a trip to Khagrachari with friends during the Eid vacation.

‘My friends and I love hills, greenery and adventure. So we chose Khagrachari for our four-day tour. We hope to trek and see waterfalls there, but high room rents and food prices concern us,’ he added.

‘We have to complete our tour within a tight budget.’

Local tour operators are busy receiving booking orders from tourists ahead of the Eid.

‘We have started confirming bookings, and a few of our rooms are already booked. We expect to be fully booked during the Eid holidays,’ said a popular echo-friendly resort Balishira’s front desk and reservation executive Sadia Afrin.

Cox’s Bazar-based hotel Seagull is set to welcome tourists who plan to spend Eid holidays on the world’s longest sea beach and enjoy the scenic Bay of Bengal.

‘Many of our rooms remain booked throughout the week after the Eid. More than 350 guests could stay in our facility at a time,’ Seagull Hotel Ltd assistant general manager of sales Nur Mehdi Manna said.

Masum Billa, proprietor of Great Travels based in Dhanmondi, said that a few of his regular customers who usually went abroad during the Eid holidays opted for local destinations for holidaymaking due to high dollar prices.

‘A few of my customers have chosen Cox’s Bazar and tea gardens in Sylhet as the dollar price is all-time high now,’ Masum added.

One civil engineer Riaz Uddin Ahmed said that he cancelled his Thailand trip with his family due to the high dollar price.

‘My wife, I and our two daughters initially wanted to go to Thailand, but due to the high dollar price, we scrapped that idea and booked our tickets to go to Cox’s Bazar this time,’ Riaz Uddin told New Age.

He claimed that room rents were still high in decent hotels compared to tourist destinations in nearby countries.

Resorts around Dhaka also eye a sound business.

Padma Resort in Munshiganj, Jol o Jongoler Kabbo, Rajendra Eco Resort, Nokkhottrobari Resort and Bhawal Resort in Gazipur, Elenga Resort and Jamuna Resort in Tangail and Shitalakhya Resort in Narayanganj are some popular spots for short tours or day-trips from Dhaka.

These places get a lot of day-time visitors over the few days following the Eid-ul-Fitr, Tourism Resort Industries Association of Bangladesh chairman Kabir Uddin Ahmed said.

Shohag Paribahan, a luxurious bus service in Bangladesh, is expected to run five buses daily during the week following the Eid.

‘Many seats in Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar-bound coaches are sold out. We hope that all tickets will be sold out shortly,’ said Md Al Amin, a sales officer at Shohag.

Cox’s Bazar Tourist Police superintendent Zillur Rahman said that they expected somewhere between 2.5 lakh to 3 lakh tourists to visit the southern district during the Eid vacation.

‘We have taken necessary measures, including rescue, emergency response, increased patrolling and forming first aid medical team for tourists,’ he added.

Zillur maintained that they would announce necessary instructions to the tourists at different popular spots on how to enjoy the sea beauty safely.