Hartal-blockade hit hotel, entertainment business in port city
A Correspondent :
The residential hotel and recreation park owners in the port city are incurring huge amount of financial loss everyday as the arson attacks on public and private transports increasing during the ongoing nonstop hartal-blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance has become a fear factor among those looking for entertainment.
Moreover, the customers are cancelling their advance bookings at the residential hotels almost every day although this is the tourist season here.
People from across the country as well as foreigners also flock to Chittagong in the months of January and February for recreational visits and holding conferences outside the capital city or other official purposes, or simply to a enjoy vacation.
Many well known hotels like Peninsula Chittagong, Hotel Agrabad, the Well Park, the Tower Inn, the Avenue, the Landmark and the Saint Martin, where customers are mostly foreign nationals, have recently had a good number of bookings that were cancelled, alleged the concerned hotels’ authorities. “Travelers from abroad are canceling their trips to Chittagong fearing political violence, which is the worst scenario for tourism and hotel business here,” said Iftekhar Safi, Senior Manager (Sales and Media) of Hotel Agrabad.
“A total of 65-70 rooms are usually occupied around the year but it had declined to 30-32 only for blockade programme,” he added.
Safi also said, “If travellers want to come here, we are ready to receive them cordially and we’ll provide police escort.”
On the other hand, while talking to journalists , Faria Tahmin, sales coordinator of Peninsula also said that they fear of incurring huge loss as the boarders either leaving the hotel earlier than their contacted timeline or cancelling their advance booking.
“Almost 90 per cent bookings have been cancelled as guests are unable to visit Chittagong from Dhaka and other parts of the country for the prevailing political unrest,” Faria said adding, “every year we organize Valentine Day party in our Hotel that is one of the special attraction of our hotel. But this time we are not sure whether we can organize it.”
Moreover, the regular events like weddings, various parties and conferences are being cancelled at the last moment due to the situation, hotel authorities said.
The residential hotel and recreation park owners in the port city are incurring huge amount of financial loss everyday as the arson attacks on public and private transports increasing during the ongoing nonstop hartal-blockade, enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance has become a fear factor among those looking for entertainment.
Moreover, the customers are cancelling their advance bookings at the residential hotels almost every day although this is the tourist season here.
People from across the country as well as foreigners also flock to Chittagong in the months of January and February for recreational visits and holding conferences outside the capital city or other official purposes, or simply to a enjoy vacation.
Many well known hotels like Peninsula Chittagong, Hotel Agrabad, the Well Park, the Tower Inn, the Avenue, the Landmark and the Saint Martin, where customers are mostly foreign nationals, have recently had a good number of bookings that were cancelled, alleged the concerned hotels’ authorities. “Travelers from abroad are canceling their trips to Chittagong fearing political violence, which is the worst scenario for tourism and hotel business here,” said Iftekhar Safi, Senior Manager (Sales and Media) of Hotel Agrabad.
“A total of 65-70 rooms are usually occupied around the year but it had declined to 30-32 only for blockade programme,” he added.
Safi also said, “If travellers want to come here, we are ready to receive them cordially and we’ll provide police escort.”
On the other hand, while talking to journalists , Faria Tahmin, sales coordinator of Peninsula also said that they fear of incurring huge loss as the boarders either leaving the hotel earlier than their contacted timeline or cancelling their advance booking.
“Almost 90 per cent bookings have been cancelled as guests are unable to visit Chittagong from Dhaka and other parts of the country for the prevailing political unrest,” Faria said adding, “every year we organize Valentine Day party in our Hotel that is one of the special attraction of our hotel. But this time we are not sure whether we can organize it.”
Moreover, the regular events like weddings, various parties and conferences are being cancelled at the last moment due to the situation, hotel authorities said.
