The extended five-day Sharadiya Durga Puja holiday has triggered a massive influx of tourists to Cox’s Bazar, providing a major boost to the coastal district's tourism-dependent economy after months of sluggish activity.
Local business associations estimate that nearly 800,000 visitors will visit the beach city during the festive period, generating an estimated BDT 500 crore (Tk.5 billion) in revenue across accommodation, dining, transportation and retail sectors.
Over 90% of rooms across the city’s 550-plus hotels, motels and resorts have been booked in advance. The surge in footfall has also significantly boosted daily earnings for small beachside operators like umbrella renters, photographer services, beach-bike drivers and vendors selling dried fish and seashell crafts.
Beyond the main beach and tourist spots along the 80-kilometer Marine Drive including Inani, Himchhari, Darianagar and Teknaf are experiencing heavy crowds. In response, Bangladesh Railways launched special train services on the Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar route on October 20, 23 and 24 to manage the passenger rush.
To protect visitors from overcharging and harassment, executive magistrates are running mobile courts across hospitality venues while the Tourist Police and local police stations have deployed special security and traffic management teams across all major points.
