Kolkata: The fresh quota protests in Bangladesh have cast a shadow over tourism business in Kolkata with hotels and lodges in the Free School Street-Marquis Street area registering only 50% occupancy and local businessmen and other service providers counting losses.
Number of tourists coming to Kolkata has dipped sharply in the past two weeks since quota protests flared up in Bangladesh.With reports of renewed protests coming in on Sunday, hotel owners and other businessmen in the area are predicting lower tourist inflow in the next few days.
The area around New Market is often referred to as Mini Bangladesh with most tourists preferring to put up in hotels in Free School Street, Marquis Street, Collin Street, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road and Mirza Ghalib Street. Concentration of such a high number of tourists has spawned a sub economy with various hotels, restaurants, shops selling local SIM card and convenience stores mushrooming in the area.
But for the past few days the business has almost halved due to a sharp dip in the number of tourists.
“The hotel occupancy has dipped to 50% in the past few days. In normal times the occupancy is usually around 75 to 80% going up to 90-95% before Eid and during winters,” said Harmit Singh, president of Central Kolkata Hotel Owners’ Association.
“The tourist inflow has reduced to a trickle due to the condition in the neighbouring country. Most of the people arriving are either coming for medical treatment or those who had planned the trip in advance and could not cancel it,” said Singh.
Local eateries which specialize in dishes from Bangladesh and hardly have vacant seats during lunch and dinner time are staring at losses.
“Our business is totally dependent on Bangladeshi tourists who stay in hotels in these neighbourhoods. We even prepare dishes which appeal to their taste. For the last few days the number of diners has reduced considerably,” said Arshad Alam, owner of Nabab’s Restaurant on Marquis Street.
The number of buses ferrying tourists have also reduced due to less number of tourists coming to Kolkata.