Many say this is because Cox’s Bazar is a conservative, “non-bikini” beach and the city is not a cosmopolitan one. International tourists often do not feel comfortable walking on the beach because of people staring and begging, being harassed by hawkers and cameramen, and rude behavior from other tourists. Also, most of the local tourists visiting Cox’s Bazar do not find it fair at all.
Being a middle-income economy, the country has seen a substantial increase in the number of middle-class people who have extra money to spend on holidays and tourism. Also, for people living and working in cities, there is a need for breaks for relaxation and entertainment to relieve stress. As a result, tourism is booming across the country.
Just six-seven years back, Cox’s Bazar used to be a bustling tourist town only in winters from November to February. Except in winter, this deserted, dull and tourist-oriented business was almost closed. But now it is a bustling city, filled with tourists every day. Although there is a peak time when it is packed with tourists, mostly in December and January, thousands of tourists now flock to Cox’s Bazar every weekend regardless of the weather.
Cox’s Bazar is the city of Tom-Tom, the battery-operated three-wheeler. For movement within the city, it is the only vehicle used by both locals and tourists. After reaching Cox’s Bazar, the first people tourists will meet are tom-tom drivers. They often wait for tourists to exit from buses and hotels. However, the sad part is that they often charge tourists double the fare. Many hotels take advantage of the tourist boom by unreasonably increasing food prices and hotel rates, and this sometimes makes headlines.