Despite the coronavirus outbreak in the country, various sectors have started operation on a limited scale. However, the tourism industry has become completely stagnant due to the ongoing crisis.
A recent Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB) statistics showed that, 14 lakh people who are directly involved with the industry are in great threat to lose their position, while Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) in its recent statistic said, more than 5,000 workers may be laid off. Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) claims that if this situation continues, the overall loss will be around Tk 12,000 crore.
Despite the lockdown, while other sectors of the country are trying to get back their old melody, the tourism industry has stopped due to the spread of the coronavirus. Concerned of the sector said, tourism contribution to GDP is around 4.5 percent.
According to them, around 20 lakh people directly and 2.5 crore people are indirectly dependent on the industry. Tour guides are leading passing very tough time due to the ongoing crisis.
According to sources, around 10, 000 tour operators in the country conducted tour related activities both in home and abroad. After the start of coronavirus spreading, all operators scheduled tour activities suspended. At present, they are totally out of work. All their advance tour booking in different places from different destinations are also canceled which incurring huge losses for them.
Mentioning that aviation and tourism sector as the country’s largest service industry, Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) former president S N Manzur Murshed said, “Owners of this sector in Bangladesh have to incur more than Taka 100 crore daily losses” due to Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the global aviation sector is losing 1.2 billion US dollars or Taka 10,200 crore per day. It is estimated that all components of tourism like tour operators, travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, restaurants, airlines, tourist transports, cruise, and guides face as high as 3 billion dollars or Taka 25,500 losses per day globally.
Tour Operator Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), a platform of 678 tour operators of Bangladesh, estimated their loss by conducting a survey titled “Impacts on Bangladesh Tourism and TOAB due to Covid-19”.
“After analyzing the losses from January to March this year, we have estimated that the tour operators of Bangladesh, may lose nearly Taka 6,000 crore this year – from January to December – if the situation does not improve,” TOAB president Md Rafeuzzaman said.