Eid tourists flood Bandarban
Officials informed of a growing travel rush to Bandarban ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, with hotels and resorts reporting a surge in advance bookings as holidaymakers plan trips to the scenic hill district
Anindya Arif 
When Dhaka-based private sector employee Rashad Karim began searching for a hotel room in Bandarban for an Eid-ul-Fitr holiday trip with his family, he was surprised to find that most rooms were already booked. After hours of checking online listings and calling several hotels, he finally secured a room for 24 March.
“We wanted to enjoy the hills and spend some quiet time during the Eid break,” Rashad said. “But almost every hotel we contacted said their rooms were already booked.”
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Rashad’s experience reflects a growing travel rush to Bandarban ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, with hotels and resorts reporting a surge in advance bookings as holidaymakers plan trips to the scenic hill district.
According to tourism-related businesses, most hotels and motels in Bandarban town have already secured 90–100% advance bookings for 23 and 24 March, while 40–60% of rooms for 21 and 22 March have also been reserved.
Bandarban, often called the “daughter of the hills” for its natural beauty, attracts nature lovers throughout the year. Photo: ATT
Industry insiders expect the remaining rooms to be fully booked within the next few days as the Eid holidays approach.
Tourism entrepreneurs say Bandarban, often called the “daughter of the hills” for its natural beauty, attracts nature lovers throughout the year. However, visitor numbers usually rise sharply during winter, public holidays and major festivals such as Eid.
In recent years, tourist arrivals had declined due to restrictions on visiting several tourist spots in the district. With those restrictions now lifted, tourism activity has begun to recover, encouraging travellers to return to the hill destination.
Hotel operators say the growing demand has already filled a large portion of their accommodation capacity.
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Md Zahidul Islam Arnan, manager of Hotel Garden City, said around 50% of rooms for 21–22 March have been booked, while the hotel is already fully booked for 23 and 24 March.
Similarly, Tamzidul Haider, manager of Hotel Hill View, said their property has received 60% bookings for 21–22 March and about 90% for 23–24 March.
At Hotel Grand Valley, front desk manager Md Mizan Uddin said bookings for 21–22 March remain relatively lower, but reservations for 23 and 24 March have reached around 90%.
The photo shows the Amiakhum waterfall situated in the remote Nakshiyang area of Thanchi Upazila in Bandarban. Photo: Wikipedia
Hotel Sky Blue manager Abdullah Al Mamun shared a similar trend, noting that while bookings for the earlier dates are still moderate, demand for the peak holiday period has risen sharply.
The boom is not limited to hotels in Bandarban town. Resorts in nearby areas, including Lama, are also experiencing strong demand.
Delwar Hossain Rafiq, president of the Lama Resort Owners’ Association, said many of the better-quality resorts among the area’s 52 facilities have already received a large number of advance bookings for the Eid holidays.
Industry leaders say the tourism sector in the district is gradually recovering as visitor confidence returns.
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Jasim Uddin, general secretary of the Bandarban Hotel Owners’ Association, said the extended Eid holidays have created strong travel demand.
“Most cottages and residential hotels in the district have already received 90 to 100% bookings for 23 and 24 March,” he said.
“We expect the remaining rooms to be booked soon.”
Hotel owners have also been instructed to ensure adequate services and hospitality arrangements for the expected influx of tourists during the holiday period.
Tourism stakeholders believe the surge in Eid travel could provide a much-needed boost to the local economy, benefiting hotels, transport operators, restaurants and small businesses that depend heavily on seasonal visitors.
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