Questions in Himalayan kingdom on new tourism policy of Bhutan

NIRMALYA BANERJEE, EOI, KOLKATA, MARCH 9, 2023 : There are question marks over the new tourism policy introduced in Bhutan since the resumption of tourism in the Himalayan kingdom after the pandemic, a March 4 report in the online edition of Kuensel, the national newspaper of Bhutan indicates.

On the one hand, the Sustainable Development Fee of Rs 1,200 per person per night levied on Indian tourists has put hotels in the last Shangri- La, particularly in eastern Bhutan, in difficulty for lack of customers. 

On the other hand, the promised improvement of tourism infrastructure to the best international standards along with the steep increase in levy on international tourists has not taken place. 

 While the Department of Tourism of Bhutan is trying hard to promote tourism with several marketing strategies, efforts to raise the level of awareness of those in the travel trade does not match with the reality on the ground, says the Kuensel report. 

The emphasis is not on luxurious hotels and star-rated services but ensuring the basic amenities for the average tourist like running water, clean toilets and peaceful night. Even after the introduction of SDF, however, a basic facility like the privacy of a toilet is missing in many tourist destinations. 

Even after a long period of planning and preparation for a revised tourism policy, basic tourism infrastructures have been neglected. 

 A simple complaint from tourists that barking dogs keep them awake the whole night has not been removed. While the levy of SDF on international tourists has been hiked steeply from $65 a day to$200 a day, not much has been done at the ground level to attract high-end tourists to Bhutan. 

Tourists still complain of accumulation of garbage and littering, lack of infrastructure and barking dogs. International tourists are stated to be shocked when they find duty-free outlets in Bhutan cannot accept credit cards. 

The benefits of tourism should not be restricted to a few tour operators and hoteliers. The benefits should percolate to the common people, says the report. Tourism attractions should go beyond the sale of a few artifacts in a few shops. Even a proper mule track or a paved road to a once remote place can help villagers reap the benefit of tourism.

According to the report, the Hotel Association of Eastern Bhutan has written several letters to the government that the hotel business is still struggling to recover even seven months afterthe border gates have been opened and SDF introduced for the tourists. Hotels have noguests. They are either empty or closed. 

Hundreds of tourists have cancelled their bookings. Hotel owners in eastern Bhutan are finding it difficult to pay their staff and maintain the establishment. Spring is the peak tourist season in eastern Bhutan when thousands of tourists enter through the Samdrupjongkhar gate to watch birds and witness cultural events. The scene is different this year. 

Many tourist groups waiting to enter Bhutan through Samdrup Jongkhar, particularly mountain bikers, have been denied visa. Hoteliers are demanding that eastern Bhutan should be exempted from the levy of SDF for two to three years to help boos tourism in the east. 

 Earlier, eastern Bhutan was completely exempted from the SDF of $65 levied on international tourists. The say restrictions on entry and exit points have led to the cancellation of many tour packages. 

 According to the report, the Bhutan government is planning to lift restrictions to open entry and exit points through Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar