Ensure safety and security of tourists during Eid vacation

After two years of slump amid the pandemic, the tourism industry is set to rebound during the Eid vacation. Thousands of people are likely to make trips to domestic and foreign tourist destinations during the Eid vacation that fell significantly due to Covid in 2020 and 2021. It has already become difficult to get air tickets for domestic and foreign tourist destinations.
The demand for tickets to two popular destinations, Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet, was very high from May 2 as Eid is likely to fall on May 2 or 3. Towards the end of 2020, the tourism industry tried to recover from losses, but the slump caused by coronavirus’s second and third waves forced many tour operators to leave the business. Forty lakh people are currently employed in the tourism sector, contributing 4.4 percent to the GDP in 2019.
In a recent study, the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) said the hospitality industry lost around Tk 60,000 crore in 2020. The study released earlier this month said 1.1 lakh people lost their jobs amid the pandemic. It is anticipated that over 1.5 million holidaymakers will make trips to domestic and outbound destinations this Eid. Six to seven lakh people are likely to travel to different destinations outside the country during the vacation. India alone will see almost five lakh visitors from Bangladesh. Ticket prices on Dhaka-Jashore and Dhaka-Barishal routes have increased threefold due to high demand.
Now the law enforcement agencies should take steps to ensure the safety and security of tourists in the major destinations. Besides, availability of facilities, law and order conditions and protection of consumers’ rights should get priority during this pastime. Any untoward situation and people’s feelings of insecurity will destabilize the industry. We call on the government and local administration to gear up preparation; thus the festival never turns into a nightmare for anybody.