Tourism sector suffers loss due to recent landslides: JS

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon yesterday told parliament that tourism sector has incurred a loss of Tk 40 to 45 crore due to the recent landslides in Chittagong Hill Tracts.

In reply to lawmakers' queries, Menon said hotel, motel and trees had been damaged in the landslides.

“Tourism sector infrastructure has incurred loss of Tk 40/45 crore due to the recent landslides,” Menon said in a scripted answer.

“Visit of tourists at Chittagong Hill Tracts, Teknaf and others adjacent areas has been decreased significantly. Therefore, overall loss in the tourism sector would be much more,” he added.

The minister also said that tropical cyclone "Mora" had also damaged tourism infrastructure as well as caused decreasing of tourist in the area.

Menon, also president of Workers Party of Bangladesh, while replying to another query said renovation of Ruposhi Bangla Hotel will be completed by this year and would be re launched as InterContinental Dhaka.

Renovation works of Ruposhi Bangla Hotel began in March 2015 and was scheduled to be completed by June 2016.

But, the minister said deadline of the renovation works has been extended till October 2017. Responsibility of running the hotel has been transferred to InterContinental Hotel Groups, a leading global hotel chain.