In order to avoid paying some of Bhutan’s daily tourism fees, travelers now have the option to stay for a minimum of five nights.
Bhutan recently made headlines when it increased its Sustainable Development Fee from $65 to $200 a day after reopening its borders in September. However, according to an announcement on Bhutan’s Department of Tourism website, travelers who pay the fee for the first four days can enjoy an additional four days without paying the fee.
Similarly, those who pay the fee for the first seven days can stay an additional seven days without payment, and those who pay for 12 days are exempt from paying for the following 18 days.
This offers significant savings for travelers. For example, staying a week could save tourists $600, while staying a month could save them up to $3,600.
These changes, which will be effective from June 1, are intended to encourage longer stays. Bhutan’s Department of Immigration has even created a website where travelers can calculate their potential savings under the different incentive programs.
If travelers have already booked their trips to Bhutan, they can take advantage of the new incentives by canceling their visas and re-applying for a new one.
It’s important to note that the Sustainable Development Fee has not changed and remains at $200 per traveler per night.
The new fee incentives, referred to as a “promotion” by officials, will be in place until the end of 2024, after which the standard fee will apply once again.
A controversial fee
Paying at least $200 a day is not new for travelers to Bhutan. Before the pandemic, tourists were required to spend a minimum of $200 to $250 per day, which included hotel, food, transportation charges, and the Sustainable Development Fee, which was $65 at the time.
In 2022, Bhutan replaced the spending structure with a flat $200 Sustainable Development Fee for all tourists, except for children aged 6 to 11 who pay 50% of the daily fee, and children 5 and younger who are exempt from the fee. Indian nationals are charged 1,200 rupees per night ($14.50), while day visitors to Bhutanese border towns do not need to pay the fee.
Supporters argue that the $200 daily fee aligns with Bhutan’s goal of attracting high-value, low-volume tourists who can contribute to the country’s infrastructure, environmental protection, and job creation with fair wages and working conditions.
However, critics view the increased rates as elitist and fear it will negatively impact the already struggling travel industry in Bhutan, which has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Government officials started considering changes to the fee structure after discussions were held between Prime Minister Lotay Tshering and members of Bhutan’s tourism and business communities. Tshering assured the community that changes were being planned in response to concerns raised about the fees’ impact on investment and discouragement of longer vacations.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
