Bhutan reopens to tourism, with a fee of $200 per day.

After being closed to tourism for about 30 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Bhutan will reopen its doors to foreign visitors on September 23rd.

Tourism is considered the leading service industry and the main source of revenue for the country. Therefore, the decision to ban tourists from March 2020 caused a decline in Bhutan's economy and created many difficulties for the people due to job losses.

With the world establishing a new normal and tourism demand reviving, the Bhutanese government has officially announced its reopening. However, a newly passed tourism tax law requires visitors entering the country to pay a sustainability fee of $200 per night, three times the pre-Covid-19 pandemic fee of $65.

Mr. Tandi Dorji, Chairman of the Bhutan Tourism Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that the new fee is necessary to offset the future environmental impact of tourism.

Tourism companies in Bhutan believe that the $200 fee will deter most tourists, but it is not a significant obstacle for high-end travelers.

April