To regulate and guide the resumption of tourism, Bhutan, a Buddhist kingdom in the eastern Himalayas, will levy a “sustainability fee” on foreign visitors after two years of the pandemic. And it’s pretty salty: $200 per person per day. The tribute will come into effect on September 23, when the country’s borders reopen.
The news was announced by Tandi Dorji, Minister and Chairman of Bhutan Tourism Association. Until then, the price was 65 US dollars. According to the Financial Times, the new course will be the most expensive in the world.
The measure itself, the imposition of a tourist tax, will be introduced in other places around the world, such as Venice, which will introduce a tax of between 3 and 10 euros per day per tourist from January; and in Fernando de Noronha, in Pernambuco, which charges tourists R$ 87.71 per day.
According to the local government’s announcement, the tourism sector will undergo a transformation that will focus on three areas: infrastructure and services, tourist travel experiences, and environmental sustainability measures. The country is relatively isolated: the first tourists were allowed to enter in 1974, and until 1999 the country had no television.
“Covid19 has allowed us to redefine how the sector can be better structured and operated so that Bhutan benefits not only economically but also socially while keeping the carbon footprint low,” Dorji said. “Our longterm goal is to create highquality experiences for visitors and highpaying, professional jobs for our citizens.”
In the official statement, the government explains that the $200 fee will be used to create activities that boost tourism and build a more sustainable sector, such as B. the compensation of CO2 emissions and the qualification of workers in the region.
“Among the many changes are the new regulations for service providers, including hotels, guides, tour operators and drivers, who will soon have to undergo a certification process before they can work in tourism. Employees are required to participate in upskilling and reskilling programs as necessary to improve service levels,” the statement said.
land of happiness
Bhutan is known as the “Land of Happiness” because it adopted an index called “GNI” (Gross National Happiness) or “GNH” (Gross National Happiness). The government measures citizens’ happiness through a questionnaire created with the local census, which takes into account aspects of the population’s daily life.
In this document, the government assesses four main pillars and nine areas, which include health, education, governance, but also mental wellbeing, time use, ecological diversity and living standards.
In terms of tourism, the region is known for its natural beauty as well as cultural festivals featuring music, dance and appreciation of local culture. One of the most famous is the Thimphu Festival, which takes place in October and attracts tourists from all over the world.
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Can a high rate affect recovery?
Despite the government’s plan, some tour operators have criticized the measure, believing the high cost of the fee could slow the sector’s recovery.
Travel company World Expeditions told the Financial Times that the price of one of its most popular trips, the 27day Snowman Trek, will rise from €5,890 to almost €9,000.
“Increasing the price of this increase by 50% will have a huge impact on the future of Bhutan’s tourism industry. And after two years of Covid, the move makes us very concerned about the impact on the livelihoods of our colleagues in Bhutan,” Gordon Steer, the company’s UK manager, told the newspaper.
It is important to mention that tourism in the country was already very controlled. Before the price increase, travelers from other countries (except India, Bangladesh and Maldives) had to book private, guided tour packages instead of traveling independently.
The daily minimum price for the package ranged from $200 to $290 per night. Of this, $65 was government tourist tax.
With the announcement, tourists now have more flexibility, with the ability to book hotels and tour guides outside of a closed tour package.
The government noted that with the change, Indian tourists would pay the new sustainable development tax, but at a reduced level: just US$15.