Coastal Tourism in Cox’s Bazar and its Socio-economic & Socio-cultural Impacts on Rakhaine Community, Bangladesh

Tourism plays a significant role in national economy of a country. Bangladesh has abundant opportunity to coastal tourism which impacts on greater livelihood at diversified pathways. The aimed of this study was to observe the nature of coastal tourism in Cox’s Bazar Bay of Bengal and its impacts on the people of Rakhaine community who live adjacent to the offshore. Sample survey, in-depth interview and focus group discussion methods were applied to collect the quantitative and qualitative data. Due to the frequent visit by tourists, new avenues of scope and opportunities has been emerged in the Cox’s Bazar coastal area and some of the Rakhaine people were engaged themselves in new occupations leaving their traditional ones behind. A significant number of Rakhaine people were involved in tourism related hotel business, handicraft production, and small business which help them to maintain a better livelihood. However, it was also observed that the rapid growth of tourism has been created opportunities for the Rakhaine people due to their traditional dance, music and other festivals that are becoming more popular to the tourists. Besides tourism, an increase a little bit threat existence in Rakhaine’s culture. It was concluded that socio-cultural linkage created between tourist and Rakhaine culture, and due to improved communication, transportation and other means of information technology, coastal tourism connected them globally with positive socio-economic development.