Tourist turnout in Bandarban below expectations this Eid

Tourist arrivals in Bangladesh's picturesque hill district of Bandarban fell short of expectations during the Eid-ul-Azha holiday this year, dealing a blow to local businesses that had anticipated a robust holiday season.

A visit to popular attractions, including Nilachal, Meghla, Shailaprapat and Rupali Jharna, on Saturday revealed noticeably smaller crowds compared with previous Eid holidays, when the sites were typically teeming with visitors.

Tourism industry stakeholders said hotels, motels, resorts and cottages had made extensive preparations ahead of Eid, expecting a large influx of holidaymakers. However, while a handful of hotels in Bandarban town reported strong bookings, most accommodation providers achieved only 50 to 60% occupancy, leaving many rooms vacant.

Hotel operators said the contrast with last year was striking. During the corresponding Eid holiday period in 2025, finding accommodation was difficult due to overwhelming demand. This year, however, lower visitor numbers have affected not only the hospitality sector but also transport operators, restaurants and small businesses that depend on tourism.

Industry representatives attributed the decline to a combination of factors, including post-Eid work commitments, recent travel restrictions introduced for tourist safety and broader economic pressures affecting household spending.

Tourism data from across the district highlight the slowdown.

The Shailaprapat Waterfall in Bandarban. Photo: Wikipedia

At Debotakhum, one of Bandarban's most popular adventure tourism destinations, around 800 visitors were recorded on Saturday, compared with nearly 2,000 during the previous Eid holiday.

In Thanchi, tourist arrivals fell even more sharply. Officials reported that only around 400 visitors travelled to the area this Eid, down from more than 2,000 during the same period last year.

Ruma, however, maintained relatively stable visitor numbers, with between 2,000 and 2,500 tourists travelling to attractions such as Boga Lake and Keokradong, broadly in line with last year's figures.

Within Bandarban town, Nilachal welcomed around 1,800 visitors by late afternoon on Saturday, while Meghla received approximately 1,400 visitors. Both figures were lower than those recorded during previous Eid holidays.

Mohammad Yunus, Front Desk Manager at Hotel Hill View, said the hotel was expecting almost full occupancy over the weekend.

Tapan Barua, Front Desk Manager at Hotel Hilton, said occupancy remained significantly below previous years.

"We have around 60% occupancy today and 40% bookings for tomorrow. During previous Eid holidays we struggled to accommodate guests, but this year many rooms remain available," he said.

Chingnu Mong Marma, General Secretary of the Rowangchhari Tourist Guide Association, said visitor numbers at Debotakhum were considerably lower than in past Eid seasons.

Hotel occupancy is significantly less compared to previous years. Photo: Collected

"Only around 700 tourists visited the destination throughout the day, which is much lower than previous years," he said.

Lal Rukual Bom, President of the Ruma Tourist Guide Association, said tourist arrivals at Boga Lake and Keokradong remained steady, with around 2,000 to 2,500 visitors recorded during the holiday period.

Uttam Tripura, an assistant at the Thanchi Tourist Guide Office, said tourist numbers had dropped sharply.

"Only around 400 tourists visited Thanchi this Eid, compared with nearly 2,000 during the previous Eid holiday," he said.

Mohammad Jasim Uddin, General Secretary of the Bandarban Hotel, Motel and Resort Owners Association, said shorter post-Eid leave, rising travel costs and broader economic challenges had affected visitor numbers.

"Many tourists appear to be more cautious with spending this year. Transportation costs to some of Bandarban's remote attractions have also increased, which may have discouraged potential visitors," he said.

Bandarban's unique combination of hills, waterfalls, forests and natural beauty, however, keeps the tourism stakeholders remain optimistic. Photo: Collected

Despite the lower turnout, tourism stakeholders remain optimistic about the district's long-term prospects, citing Bandarban's unique combination of hills, waterfalls, forests and natural beauty.

Meanwhile, authorities said comprehensive security measures remained in place for visitors.

Mohammad Mahabubur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Bandarban Tourist Police, said the Tourist Police and district police were working hand in hand to ensure visitor safety.

"In addition to two mobile patrol teams, plain-clothes officers have also been deployed. So far, no untoward incidents have been reported," he said.

Tourism operators hope that as travel conditions improve and economic confidence strengthens, visitor numbers will gradually recover, helping restore momentum to one of Bangladesh's most important tourism destinations.