BHUTAN- new development fee may tick off tourists: Tour operators

DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY, SNS, KOLKATA, 6 FEBRUARY 2020: Travel agents expect huge rush to Bhutan in the next few months - mainly during the summer months of May and June- from India. At present, India contributes over 6O percent tourists to its neighbouring country.

The reason: Come 1 July and every Indian tourists will have to cough up Rs 1200 extra per day for entering into Bhutan. However, 30 June, there will be no need for any entry fees from Indian tourists Only photo identity cards and passports are required.

The tourism circuit of the Western districts of Haa, Paro, Thimpu, Punakha Gasa and Wangdue Phodrang are among the most attractive tourism destinations for the Indian tourists.

Talking to The Statesman. Anil Punjabi, chairman,Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), Eastern Region informed that this is a bad news for the travel agents as business will be low after the entry fee is slapped on the tourists at the rate of Rs 1200 per person per day.

"Bhutanese hotels suffer heavy losses. The standard and deluxe property hotels will be mostly affected," Punjabi added.

Punjabi further added that all flights are mostly full in the month of May.

At present, the cost of a five to seven day package to Bhutan is around Rs 75,000 and with the introduction of entry fees per person per day means an additional burden of Rs 25000 to Rs 34,000 for a family of three to four persons.

This additional levy will hike the total tourism package cost to about 25 percent, travel agents and tour operators said.

Visa is not required for Indian nationals travelling to Bhutan.They only need to register themselves at the time of entering Bhutan.

Bhutan provides about 20 per cent business to the travel agents of West Bengal and except December. Indians travel all a round the year to Bhutan and the most crowded seasons are February, April, May, June and October to November, travel agents said.

The entry charge named as Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) are for the regional tourists comprising countries like India. Bangladesh and Maldives. 'Tourism Levy and Exemption Bill of Bhutan 2020 has been passed at the National Assembly on 4 February.

Sources said that this issue of introduction of entry fees to Indian has been discussed with external affairs minister, S. Jaishankar with his Bhutanese counterpart during h is visit to Bhutan in the month of November last year.

Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines have direct flight services from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata to Paro in Bhutan at present. Other international tourists from other foreign countries presently has to pay Rs 18,000 per person per day to Bhutan government.