Bhutan reduces fees for tourists staying longer there, but only for those who pay in dollars!

As reported earlier, effective this month until the end of 2024, all travellers to Bhutan paying daily fees for four days, will be allowed to stay another extra four days. Likewise, those paying SDF for 12 days, will get to stay for a full month.

But there is a catch, this incentive will only apply to tourists who pay in dollars, and not to visitors from neighbouring India, who pay in INR.

Bhutan recently announced that it will lower the per night fee charges from tourists who decide to stay more than four days in a move to boost tourist footfall. The beautiful Himalayan kingdom reopened its borders for tourists in September last year, and it was around this time that it raised its ‘Sustainable Development Fee’ to USD 200 per visitor per night from the USD 65 it had been charging for around three decades.

Referring to this, authorities are of the view that the SDF has been especially designed to attract wealthy tourists, and to discourage budget travellers who likely spoil the environment. Those funds will help to maintain the pristine landscape and offset the carbon footprints left by visitors. Also, Bhutan announced a ban on mountain climbing to preserve the sanctity of its peaks.

As regarding the charge, the incentive applies only to tourists who pay in dollars, and not to those visiting from neighbouring India who pay in rupees.

Director General of Tourism Council of Bhutan Dorji Dhradhul added that Bhutan wants to gradually raise the contribution of tourism to 20% to its USD 3 billion economy from about 5% now, but did not have any timeline.
As regarding tourist arrivals, Dhradhul added that more than 47,000 tourists had visited Bhutan since January and that the country is on track to achieve its goal of hosting 86,000 visitors by the end of the year.