A three-month-long 'Cox's Bazar Tourism Carnival 2026' is scheduled to take place from November 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027, at the Hotel Saibal beach area.

The event will be organised by the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation and managed by Spellbound Communications Limited. Mr. Md. Shamimuzzaman, Chairman of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation, announced these details during a media briefing held on Wednesday at the Tourism Bhaban in Agargaon, Dhaka.

Cox's Bazar is Bangladesh's premier tourist destination. While the influx of tourists has increased year-round in recent times, the number of foreign tourists has remained stagnant. A common complaint among both domestic and international visitors is the lack of activities or entertainment options beyond simply enjoying the beach. They have expressed a desire for evening entertainment activities in the area. Addressing this need, the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation is organising this three-month carnival at the Hotel Saibal premises, featuring a variety of day and night programs. Key attractions of the carnival include:

1) Food Zone: Featuring local and international cuisine, live food stalls, barbecue stations, ice cream parlors, and juice corners;

2) Market Zone & Craft Village: Offering clothing, jewelry, pottery, and handicrafts made by local artisans—where you can also participate in the creative process;

3) Wellness Zone: Featuring sunrise yoga and meditation sessions;

4) The Kids' Zone will feature art activities, safe rides, and a variety of fun-filled programs.

5) Camping Zone: This area offers overnight camping, an open-air library, self-barbecue facilities, hammocks, campfires, and the experience of stargazing through telescopes;

6) Additionally, there will be a live art and photo gallery, an open-air movie theater, a VR zone, a circus tent, kayaking, live busking, go-karting, beach football, beach handball, beach volleyball, beach kabaddi, badminton, and sand sculpture activities. Special celebrations will include Victory Day, New Year's, and Christmas; 7) There will also be "Wave of Music" at the beach-view open theater—a unique experience to get lost in the melodies of the flute and the golden glow of the sunset by the sea with loved ones.

Mr. Md. Gani Ul Azam, Director (holding the rank of Additional Secretary) of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation, presided over the briefing session. He briefed the media personnel on the full schedule of the three-month-long carnival. He mentioned that the carnival's various events would be attended by the Honorable Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism, ministers and secretaries from other ministries, respected Members of Parliament from the greater Cox's Bazar region, and other distinguished personalities. He stated, "We do not simply want to organize a carnival; we want to add a new dimension to the tourism experience in Cox's Bazar. Along with the sea, the sunset, and the *jhau* (casuarina) forests, we are integrating food, music, sports, culture, creativity, adventure, and family entertainment." He also answered various questions from the journalists during the session. On behalf of Spellbound Communications Limited—the organization implementing the carnival—Chief Executive Officer Mr. Md. Sadequl Arefin presented an outline of the event through a PowerPoint presentation during the briefing session.

Speaking as the chief guest, Mr. Md. Shamimuzzaman, Chairman of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation, stated that the carnival is being organized to showcase Bangladesh's premier tourist destination to both domestic and international tourists in a more diverse and appealing manner. The event aims specifically to boost the number of foreign tourists by presenting Cox's Bazar to them in a fresh and unique light. He expressed optimism that this carnival—organized under the initiative of the Bangladesh Tourism Corporation and managed by Spellbound Communications Limited—would open up a new experience for tourists visiting Cox's Bazar.

The Chairman expressed hope that this three-month-long event would allow tourists to enjoy the sea while also participating in various sports and entertainment activities during the day and night. He anticipated that the event would generate local employment opportunities and improve the local socio-economic landscape. He noted that the carnival is intended to rebrand Cox's Bazar as a vibrant, diverse, safe, sustainable, and world-class tourist destination.