Omicron sees tourism further into financial distress

Bagerhat & Dhaka/ Bangladesh – A country of over 1,600 natural tourist attractions and with the world’s longest natural beach, Bangladesh has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, as its tourism still suffers from its ramifications.

Tourism, whose revenue contributed 4.4 percent to the country’s GDP and provides income to some 3 million, suffered a $3.1 billion in 2021, according to the latest World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report.

In a bid to save the sector, national efforts had invigorated domestic tourism, as more than 15 million Bengalis started touring the country, nevertheless, Hotel manager Azharul Islam said that the advent of the new Omicron strain has brought a halt to the initiative, as, for example, the hotel’s occupancy rate to drop from 90 percent to merely 15 – 20 percent.

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a heavy blow to the sector as its contribution to the GDP decreased by 32 percent.

Ziaul Haque Hawlader, who is an official responsible for tourism wellbeing, said that if the country closes, families that, directly or indirectly, depend on tourism will be bear the brunt of further lockdowns.

Successive pandemics, first COVID and then Omicron, adversely impacted Bangali businessmen, including hotel owners, drivers, tourist boat owners, doll stalls’ sellers, and all their families.

Abul Hossain, Tourist Boat Businessman, told A24 News Agency that the decreased number of tourists, thus money shortage, forced him to sell one of his boats and prevented him from operating the other.

“After Omicron came, right now we are in a very bad situation. No tourists are coming. We have not had any trips with tourists for the last 15-20 days. We are in a very tough situation,” car driver Khalil Farazi said.

Speaking to the agency, Rafeuzzaman, President of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), expressed concerns about any potential lockdown as the tourism industry is particularly vulnerable to different occurrences.

“When Omicron started, everything now has gone back to a vacuum again. Travel lovers are deprived to get the mental relief they used to get by travelling,” said tourist Amirul Islam.