Despite limitations and crises, Cox's Bazar remains Bangladesh’s most affluent tourist city. However, foreign tourists are rarely seen there. Instead, destinations like the Maldives, Thailand, and Sri Lanka are becoming increasingly popular among Bangladeshi travelers. Due to the lack of a comprehensive master plan centered around Cox's Bazar’s natural beauty, the country’s tourism industry is struggling.
A report from Bangladesh Bank reveals that Bangladeshi travelers' credit card usage is highest in the United States, with Thailand ranking second. Tourism industry insiders state that excessive hotel and motel prices, security concerns, high transportation costs, and middlemen have discouraged many domestic tourists. Additionally, the lack of facilities for foreign tourists, insufficient branding, and an unstructured tourism system have contributed to the decline in visitor numbers.
Analysis of data from the Special Branch (SB) of the police shows that the number of foreign tourists in Bangladesh is steadily decreasing. Although a significant number of foreign workers have arrived due to development projects, specific data on their visits to tourist destinations is unavailable.
Tourism business owners claim that foreign tourists have virtually stopped coming. According to SB data on foreign arrivals by year, in 2017, Bangladesh received 500,665 foreign visitors. The numbers for the next two years were 552,730 and 621,131, respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this number plummeted to 181,518.
It declined further in 2021 to 135,186. In 2022 and 2023, the figures rose to 529,268 and 655,451, respectively. However, business owners argue that these numbers do not accurately reflect tourism since over 99% of these arrivals were project-based workers. The number of visitors coming purely for tourism, such as to Cox's Bazar beach, is minimal.
Abul Kasem Sikder, president of the Hotel, Motel, and Guesthouse Owners’ Association, has been involved in tourism since the early 1990s. He explained that foreign arrivals increased after the Rohingya crisis in 2017 due to the influx of NGO workers. Similarly, the Matarbari port project has brought many foreign engineers who stay in Cox's Bazar hotels but are not tourists.
He further added, “The decline in foreign tourists is due to inadequate facilities. Security is also a major issue. Many foreign tourists, especially from colder countries, seek sunny beaches. We have proposed declaring part of Sonadia as a ‘day beach’ to attract them.”
During a field visit from December 18-20, only a handful of foreign tourists were seen in Cox’s Bazar. A foreign couple was spotted on the Kolatoli-adjacent beach, while a family of four was seen at Pathure Tek Beach. A few other scattered foreign tourists were also noticed.
Many tourists believe traveling abroad is more affordable than visiting Bangladesh. Reports suggest that a six-night, seven-day trip to Sri Lanka or the Maldives, including return airfare, four-star hotel accommodation, breakfast, airport transfers, city tours, all taxes, and a tour guide, costs only 75,000 BDT. Similarly, Nepal tour packages start at 45,500 BDT for three nights and four days. In comparison, staying in four-star hotels and airfare within Bangladesh costs nearly the same.
Ali Ibrahim, a private sector employee, stated, “Traveling to international destinations is cheaper than domestic trips. In Thailand, a sea-view room in a four-star hotel costs 3,000-4,000 BDT, whereas in Bangladesh, the same standard costs 8,000-10,000 BDT. Additionally, their transport system is highly developed. Most importantly, you feel safe there.”
According to Bangladesh Bank’s latest report, foreign nationals residing in Bangladesh have significantly increased their credit card usage. In October 2023, they spent 1.29 billion BDT via credit cards, compared to 1.11 billion BDT in September—an increase of 180 million BDT or 16.2%. The highest portion of this spending (470 million BDT) was for cash withdrawals.
On the other hand, Thailand has now surpassed India in credit card usage by Bangladeshi travelers abroad. In September, Bangladeshis spent 420 million BDT in Thailand via credit cards, which jumped to 570 million BDT in October—an increase of 160 million BDT. In total, Bangladeshis spent 4.99 billion BDT on foreign credit card transactions in October, up from 4.21 billion BDT in September. The highest expenditure was in the U.S., where spending increased from 770 million BDT in September to 840 million BDT in October—a rise of 70 million BDT or 8.5%.
ANM Helal Uddin, president of the Cox’s Bazar Citizens’ Forum and Bangladesh Environment and Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, emphasized the need for sustainable tourism. He pointed out that the lack of incentives for foreign investors has contributed to the decline in foreign tourists in Cox’s Bazar. He also stressed the importance of designated tourism zones for foreigners.
Advocate Rahid Mirza, who visited Cox’s Bazar with his family from Chittagong, remarked, “Tourism could be a major source of foreign currency. However, I haven’t seen a single foreign tourist in two days. Domestic tourists alone cannot sustain the industry.” He added that additional facilities and designated areas for foreign tourists, along with improved security, are essential.
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