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Hartal hits economy

Hotel business loss Tk 100cr

. Nurul Huda
The business of the country's hotels and restaurants has been badly hit following repeated hartal, widespread violence and clashes in the country since February 27.  The total loss of hotel business in the city's few posh hotels and that of tourism city Cox's Bazar would be to the tune of nearly Tk. 100 crore in one week.
Officials of some posh city hotels talking to The New Nation on Tuesday said the occupancy of their hotels have fallen by between 40-50 per cent from February 27. Expressing grave concern over the prevailing political situation in the country, they said  they were receiving cancellation of reservation by foreign guests every day.
The loss of  Ruposhi Bangla (Sheraton) hotel was the highest. The hotel  suffered 2013 room night loss, meaning a loss of  more than Tk. 2.5 crore. Besides, the hotel had to cancel reservation of 35 banquet events meaning rental loss of  over Tk. 35 lakh, an official of the hotel said.  When contacted Zia Mohiuddin, Assistant Communication Manager, Ruposhi Bangla Hotel said they had to cancel reservation of foreign guests during the period.
The business loss of Westin Hotel  would be to the tune of  about Tk. 2 crore, said Mostafa   Safa, Head of Marketing of the hotel. He said the rate of occupancy of the hotel has fallen by 40 per cent following the country's prevailing political situation.  The hotel ,he said, suffered  800 room night loss in last one week.  The business loss of Sonargaon PanPacific Hotel, said an official source, would be nearly Tk. One crore as  guests continued cancellation of their  reservations. The hotel,  he said, suffered 600 room night loss.
An official of Radisson Hotel who asked not to be quoted told   this correspondent that the occupancy rate of the hotel has fallen due to the country's prevailing political situation. The official  however, did not like to disclose the amount of  loss of the hotel's business. The assessment of the business loss of the hotels, however, do not include loss of private rest houses in the city's Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and  DOHS posh areas.
Al-haj Abul Kashem Sikder, general secretary of Cox's Bazar Hotel-Motel Owners' Association  said that the owners' of hotels and motels of the town   incurring a daily loss of about Tk. 10 crore beginning on February 27. Most of the hotels and motels, he said, were almost empty. If the  prevailing situation  continues, he said , it would be difficult to keep the hotel business running.