After about 30 months of tourism closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Bhutan will reopen to foreign visitors on September 23.
Bhutan tourism will open but fees will increase sharply (Photo: Unsplash)
Tourism is considered the leading service industry that brings the main source of income for this country. Therefore, the decision to ban tourists from March 2020 has caused the Bhutanese economy to decline and people have faced many difficulties when losing their jobs.
As the world is settling into a new normal and tourism is back on track, the Bhutanese government has officially announced its reopening. However, the newly passed tourism tax law requires visitors entering the country to pay a sustainable development fee of $200 per night, three times the pre-Covid-19 fee of $65.
Mr. Tandi Dorji - Chairman of the Tourism Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bhutan said the new fee is necessary to compensate for the impact of tourists on the environment in the coming time.
Travel companies in Bhutan say the $200 fee will make most tourists hesitate, but it is not an obstacle for high-end customers.
