Coronavirus: Upscale Dhaka resorts lose reservations, revenue

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Many upscale hotels in Dhaka are incurring a substantial amount of income loss as foreign visitors are cancelling their tours amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Moreover, as more and more countries issue travelling bans in a bid to struggle the deadly virus, most of the high-profile occasions, where international friends were invited, are getting called off thus making things worse for the resort industry.

Meanwhile, turning community fears into certainty, Bangladesh confirmed its initially three people of Covid-19 in Sunday that has killed over 5,000 persons in a lot more than 120 nations.  

According to advertise insiders, despite March being the peak business period for the country's hospitality industry, amount of reservations and occupancies in almost all of the five-star accommodations in the administrative centre has fallen dramatically due to the virus.

Sadia Saica Fareea, assistant connection manager of InterContinental Dhaka, told Dhaka Tribune that the Covid-19 crisis has impacted overall hospitality sector as several, both international and household, events have been postponed. 

"The number of visitors from both residential and overseas has fallen. Last month's revenue in addition has dropped considerably in comparison to last year."

When asked about whether she may share how much loss the hotel has suffered till nowadays and how they are preparing to cope up with the crisis, she said: "We cannot tell you see, the amount of fall in revenue as it has simply been one and a half months because the outbreak. We are expecting things to progress in April, presented the current situation improves."

Seeking anonymity, the official of the marketing section of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka, said: "Reservations and occupancies inside our resort have dropped to 1 / 2 amid the coronavirus issue. 

"Most of our place, event, and venue bookings for March have been completely cancelled and this will probably continue."

However, when contacted, authorities of Radisson Blu Dhaka Drinking water Garden, Le Méridien Dhaka and The Westin Dhaka refused to comment above the matter.

HM Hakim Ali, president of Bangladesh International Resort Association (BIHA) as well chief of Hotel Agrabad in Chittagong cannot be reached over the phone despite repeated attempts.

An identical picture outside Dhaka

Similarly, hotels beyond your capital are also fighting the cancelation of reservations and bookings forced by the global spread of Covid-19.

Hotel owners Found in Cox's Bazar, Sylhet and Chittagong have found it again very difficult to keep their earnings projections as the amount of travellers, with every passing day, is decreasing out of fear of finding infected with the deadly virus.  

Speaking with Dhaka Tribune, Mukim Khan, standard secretary of Kolatoli-Marine Get Resort Resort Owner's Association, explained: "Bookings and occupancies here possess dropped by a lot more than 50%. 

"Those who wished to come to Cox's Bazar from March 26 to March 28 have already cancelled their plans because they are in panic and afraid as a result of the coronavirus outbreak."

Echoing the same, Naim Hossain Rabbi, human useful resource manager of Sylhet's Resort Rose View, said: "All of us are facing around 40% decline in reservations. Foreign travelers, buying residence representatives, and NGO officials who were our guests for this month have already backed out of their programs due to the outbreak. 

"The events that have been supposed take place within March and the following month have also been cancelled."

CEO of Resort Grand Surma found in Sylhet, Emran Hossain, said: "Coronavirus has deeply damaged the hospitality business in this article. Things are receiving cancelled regularly."

When contacted, expressing problems, Kamal Hossain, manager (revenue, advertising) of The Peninsula Chittagong, said: "Just as airlines have stopped operating flights from numerous destination and on-arrival visas are not being issued at the moment, the hospitality business here's going through trouble." 

Rahsat Salma, public relations officer of Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay Perspective, said: "The ongoing Covid-19 crisis has had a very negative effect on the resort industry in Chittagong. This has greatly hampered our organization."

To control the pass on of coronavirus the Bangladesh federal government has restricted access of passengers from four countries - Italy, Southern Korea, Japan and Kuwait - without the virus-no cost medical certificates.

Issuance of on-arrival visas for Chinese nationals was first suspended on February 1 and the directive continues to be in effect.
Source: https://www.dhakatribune.com

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