Relatives' Houses Top Choice for Bangladeshi Tourists

Ripon Mia, an employee at a private firm in Dhaka, traveled to the United States last year. During his ten-day stay in New York, he did not stay in a hotel; instead, he stayed at a relative's house.

“Staying at a relative’s house saved me the cost of hotels and food. I could even use their car to visit different places. On foreign soil, this is a huge advantage,” Ripon told Agamir Somoy, recently.

Like Ripon, many Bangladeshi tourists adopt the same approach. Whether traveling abroad or within the country, the first choice for Bangladeshi tourists is the home of a relative or friend. This information has surfaced in the latest Tourism Satellite Account report published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The report indicates that Bangladeshi tourists generally do not prefer staying in hotels or motels. For any travel purpose, their primary choice is a relative's residence. This allows them to meet and catch up with loved ones while saving money and receiving security-related assistance.

Regarding this, Tofail Ahmed, the Director of the Modernization of National Accounts Statistical Project, who is responsible for creating the Tourism Accounts, shared his insights. On Tuesday, he told Agamir Somoy that this is the latest BBS account report detailing the tourism industry, based on data from 2020.

Tuli Begum, a primary school teacher from Kurigram, was suddenly diagnosed with cancer. She required long-term treatment, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, at CMH in Dhaka. During this period, she stayed at a friend's house in the Matikata area of Mirpur for the first few days. Afterward, she spent the remainder of her treatment time at her aunt's house in Shewrapara. She did not stay in a hotel for a single day.

Tulie Begum shared her perspective, stating that staying in a hotel in Dhaka with her daughter, an eighth-grade student, and her son, a first-grade student, did not feel safe. Since her husband works a government job in Bogra and could not be with them at all times, staying at a relative's house emerged as the best option.

The BBS report highlights the following regarding domestic and international travel preferences:

Domestic Travel Safety and Preference: Among those who traveled as tourists within the country during the survey period, a significant 76.36% chose to spend the night at the homes of friends or relatives.

Security and Comfort: This data suggests that tourists perceive the homes of relatives and acquaintances as the safest option for overnight stays and travel.

International Travel Choices: For Bangladeshi tourists traveling abroad, staying with friends or relatives remains the top choice, with 47.97% of survey participants opting for this.

Other International Accommodations:

Non-star hotels: 25.68%, Star-rated hotels: 6.76%, Rented houses: 6.8%, Motels, guesthouses, or resorts: 4.73%, Religious institutions: 0.68% and Other locations: 8.11%

According to the report's demographic analysis, 59.51% of those traveling abroad from Bangladesh are between the ages of 25 and 51. Conversely, the number of tourists aged 60 or older is significantly lower.