Tourism in Bangladesh, despite its natural beauty and cultural richness, continues to face a persistent and painful contradiction. The country boasts the longest sea beach in the world, lush green hills, UNESCO heritage sites, and vibrant local experiences. Yet, both domestic and foreign tourists are increasingly frustrated. Their complaint rings the same tune across beaches, hills, and river cruises: everything is simply too expensive. From hotels and resorts to food and transportation, travel in Bangladesh costs significantly more than in neighboring destinations. Tourists say that even after having a strong desire to explore local attractions, they often retreat from their plans due to skyrocketing expenses that feel “highly unreasonable.”
According to tourism operators and market comparisons, traveling in Bangladesh can cost one-and-a-half to twice as much as traveling to Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, or India. These countries thrive on tourism, offering premium services at competitive prices. Bangladesh, on the other hand, struggles to attract and retain holidaymakers due to its high operational costs and a pricing system that caters primarily to business travelers rather than leisure tourists.
Hotels and resorts: double the price, often half the experience: A quick search on international booking platforms like Booking.com highlights the glaring disparity. In Cox’s Bazar, a private pool Sea View Suite at Mermaid Beach Resort can cost around Tk 50,000 per night. With taxes and other charges, the bill rises by another Tk 5,000.
Meanwhile, in Phuket, Thailand, the Atika Villas Zero Oceanfront Pool Villa, equipped with luxurious amenities including a private pool, mountain and sea views, costs roughly Tk 30,000 per night.
Tourism professionals admit the truth openly: five-star accommodation in Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, or Thailand can typically be found between Tk 8,000 and Tk 12,000 per night. In Bangladesh, thinking below Tk 20,000 is nearly impossible, and even at that price, service expectations are often unmet. Travel agencies explain the root cause. Bangladesh does not attract many leisure tourists purely for vacation. Most foreign tourists traveling to the country come for business, government programs, or trade exhibitions. Many are garment sector buyers or participants in official missions, whose travel costs are sponsored by institutions. As a result, hotel owners focus on extracting profit from business stays rather than building a vibrant leisure tourism market.
One tour operator remarked, “Why would hotels reduce prices when corporate clients are already paying them without complaints?” This logic has kept prices high while discouraging the larger global leisure tourism market.
High food prices and expensive air travel: The cost headache does not end with hotels. Restaurants in and around tourist hotspots frequently charge inflated prices for even basic meals. A simple Bengali dish, which would typically cost a modest amount in Dhaka, becomes a luxury item by the sea.
International air travel from Bangladesh is another costly affair. Even domestic flights to Cox’s Bazar and other tourist destinations often exceed reasonable thresholds. Ticket prices fluctuate wildly and are tightly controlled by syndicates, making affordable flying a far-fetched dream for many. “Airfare pricing in Bangladesh operates lie a closed shop,” a tour operator commented. “When air travel becomes a burden, tourism becomes a distant possibility.”
Hotel owners justify higher expenses: Resort and hotel owners argue that the expense is not purely based on arbitrary pricing. Essential construction materials and technology required for modern hotels are mostly imported. As the cost of imports rises, the final pricing naturally skyrockets.
Mohammad Rafiuzzaman, President of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), acknowledged the price issue: “It is true that hotels and resorts in Bangladesh are expensive. Most of the machinery and materials required to develop hotels, resorts, parks or cruises must be imported, which increases construction costs and leads to higher room rents. These matters need regulatory monitoring from the government.”
He further emphasized the need for oversight to prevent excessive exploitation of tourists. Recent visitor experiences paint a vivid picture of the problem. Ahsan Hafiz, a tourist who recently returned from Cox’s Bazar, described his shock: “A family room in a three-star hotel cost around Tk 40,000 per night. With that same amount of money, I could stay four days in Thailand.”
His transportation costs were equally troubling. Traveling on a local open-top jeep known as “Chander Gari” along Marine Drive cost him Tk 5,000 for a brief ride. By comparison, he could explore Bangkok’s top attractions using ride-sharing services like Grab or Bolt at far more affordable rates.
Restaurant prices also left him dismayed: “The price of ordinary Bangladeshi food became unbelievably high just because I was in Cox’s Bazar.” Tourism operators acknowledge that unfair pricing has become widely normalized. Many hotel businesses import goods and then push the extra burden onto tourists without improving service or experience.
Industry experts argue that tourists in Bangladesh rarely receive the quality they pay for. A Bangladesh tourist paying Tk 10,000 for a hotel room in Thailand could get a luxurious accommodation near popular tourist destinations. In Bangladesh, the same level of quality often demands Tk 30,000 to Tk 40,000, sometimes without basic hospitality professionalism. “There is a clear imbalance between cost and service,” travel experts summarized. “Tourists feel betrayed when value does not match the bill.”
What needs to change: To strengthen the tourism sector, experts have urged the government to introduce fair pricing guidelines and stronger enforcement measures. A well-designed policy structure could ensure consistency, promote affordability, and build confidence among travelers.
Taufiq Rahman, CEO of Journey Plus, stressed: “To ensure tourist-friendly and affordable services, strong government policies must be developed and properly implemented. District administrations should also play a role in strict monitoring. An inter-ministerial body is essential to regulate activities in major tourist zones.”
Experts suggest several urgent reforms: Introduce pricing regulations for hotels, restaurants, and key services, Strengthen consumer rights enforcement in tourist areas, Improve transport affordability and break air travel syndicates, Promote leisure tourism through marketing and infrastructure, Develop skilled tourism workforce for better hospitality experiences, Encourage foreign and local investment in tourism-friendly projects.
Can Bangladesh compete internationally: Bangladesh’s tourism potential is immense. From the magical Sundarbans to the whispering tea gardens of Sylhet, from Saint Martin’s coral adventures to the cultural charms of Dhaka, the country offers diverse attractions that could enchant millions.
