After a five-month shutdown due to the corona pandemic, the tourism industry in Cox's Bazar is scheduled to reopen on a limited scale in compliance with various instructions from August 17. Hotel, motel, guest house owners, employees, small traders and others involved in tourism are happy with the news of tourism industry's reopening.
According to the decision of the District Corona Infection Prevention Committee, these tourist spots, more than 400 hotels, motels, guesthouses and more than 300 restaurants were closed down causing the whole industry to come to stand still. The Cox's Bazar Chamber of Commerce is claiming that the lockdown caused a loss of Tk 10,000 crore.
Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md Kamal Hossain, who is also the chairman of the Corona Infection Prevention Committee, said a decision was taken at a meeting of the Corona Infection Prevention Committee's zoom conference on August 5. In the presence of Helaluddin Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the LGRD, who is the overall coordinator of the committee, as well as other members of the committee, it was decided to open the hotels, motels and restaurants in Cox's Bazar on a trial basis from August 17.
The DC said several decisions were taken initially. At such times, the businesses and individuals will have to follow the announced health rules and guidelines approved by the Govt and the committee. It must be followed properly, legal action will be taken against the person or the organization if they fails to follow the guidelines. The DC urged all to implement the decisions taken in the public interest.
Those involved in the tourism industry are happy with the news that the tourism industry is reopening even in the midst of these restrictions.
Lion MN Karim, VP of the Hotel Motel Owners Association and chairman of Hotel Ocean Paradise, said the hotel had been closed for five months but the bank loan installments had not stopped, which they had to pay every month. They have suffered a lot. So they are happy with the news that the tourism industry is reopening anyway.
Cox's Bazar Chamber President Abu Morshed Chowdhury Khoka said the tourism industry in Cox's Bazar has lost Tk 10,000 crore in these five months.
Kalim Ullah, GS of the Hotel-Motel Guesthouse Officers' Association, said millions of workers working in the tourism sector have been unemployed for the past five months. The hotel owner did not pay them any salary or allowance even during Eid. So now the relief has returned among these employees in the grave of opening up the tourism industry.
Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md. Kamal Hossain said, "It has been decided to open limited tourist spots from the 17th August. But before that
another meeting will be held with the concerned authorities. A special guideline will be made before opening. So that there will be separate instructions for hotels, restaurants, kitkots, photographers, hawkers and tourists.
Senior Superintendent of Tourist Police Mohammad Zillur Rahman said tourists are still banned from going to the beach. If we get government instructions, we will definitely make arrangements so that tourists can go to the beach and come to Cox's Bazar in compliance with the hygiene rules.
However, although the beach is scheduled to reopen from August 17, the number of locals and tourists visiting the beach has increased already. A large number of people are seen wandering around the beach while, life guard personnel have also started working. The shops of the markets adjacent to the beach have also reopened to an extant.
