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Bangladesh’s first three-month-long Cox’s Bazar Tourism Carnival 2026 will be held from November 1 to January 31 to diversify the country’s premier beach destination and attract more foreign tourists, officials said on Wednesday.
The carnival will be held at the Hotel Shaibal beach and adjacent Jhau Bon area, offering visitors a range of day- and night-time entertainment, sports, cultural events, food and adventure activities.
At a press conference at the Tourism Building in Agargaon, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman Md Shamimuzzaman said the number of domestic tourists visiting Cox’s Bazar is increasing every year, but the number of foreign visitors has not grown as expected.
“Especially after evening, tourists have limited opportunities for entertainment after enjoying the beach,” he said, adding that the carnival aims to address the gap and present Cox’s Bazar in a new way to international visitors.
The carnival will feature food, market and craft, wellness, children’s and camping zones.
The food zone will offer local and international cuisine, live food stalls, barbecue, ice cream and juices. The market and craft village will showcase clothing, jewellery, pottery and handicrafts made by local artisans.
The wellness zone will offer yoga and meditation at sunrise, while the kids’ zone will feature art activities, safe rides and other entertainment.
The camping zone will include overnight stays, an open-air library, self-barbecue facilities, hammocks, campfires and opportunities to observe the night sky through telescopes.
Other attractions will include live art and photography exhibitions, an open-air cinema, a virtual reality zone, circus tent, kayaking, live busking, go-karting and beach sports such as football, handball, volleyball, kabaddi and badminton.
A sand sculpture programme will also be arranged.
Special programmes will be held to mark Victory Day, Christmas and New Year. An open-air concert titled “Wave of Music” will allow visitors to enjoy music against the backdrop of the sea and sunset.
Tourism Corporation Director (Additional Secretary) Gani-ul-Azam said the carnival was intended to add a new dimension to the Cox’s Bazar tourism experience by combining the beach, sunset and Jhau forest with food, music, sports, culture, creativity and adventure.
The carnival is being organised by Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and implemented by Spellbound Communications Ltd.
Shamimuzzaman said the three-month event would create opportunities for local employment and contribute to the socio-economic development of the area.
He said the initiative was also aimed at rebranding Cox’s Bazar as a vibrant, diverse, safe, sustainable and international-standard tourism destination.