Bhutan's major change for longer-staying tourists. But Indians…

Those paying the fees for 12 days can stay for a full month.

Bhutan will lower the nightly fees it charges tourists who stay more than four days as the country tries to boost visitor numbers following a dip due to Covid pandemic. The Himalayan kingdom reopened its borders for tourists in September last year after more than two years of pandemic closure. Then, it raised its "Sustainable Development Fee" to $200 per visitor per night from the $65 it had charged.

A stream runs through the Phobjikha Valley in Bhutan. (Reuters)

The fees was designed to attract wealthy tourists by discouraging budget travelers who spoil the environment, authorities had said. Bhutan also bans mountain climbing to preserve the sanctity of its peaks. But effective this month until the end of 2024, tourists paying the daily fees for four days will be allowed to stay an extra four days, Reuters reported quoting officials. Those paying the fees for 12 days can stay for a full month.

“If more tourists stay longer in Bhutan tourism can help our economy to grow faster,” director general of the department of tourism Dorji Dhradhul said.

The incentive applies only to tourists who pay in dollars and not to visitors who pay in rupees. This means that Indians will not be able to benefit from the change. Bhutan wanted to gradually raise the contribution of tourism to 20% to its $3 billion economy from about 5% now, Dorji Dhradhul explained adding that over 47,000 tourists had visited Bhutan since January and the country was on track to achieve its "modest" goal of receiving 86,000 visitors by the end of the year. Before the pandemic, Bhutan aimed to reach receive over 300,000 tourists in 2019.