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Bhutan
AsiaSouth Asia

Coronavirus: tiny Bhutan set to reopen to tourism, ditch zero-Covid policy

  • The Himalayan kingdom of fewer than 800,000 people is known for its fabulous mountain vistas, untouched forests and imposing Buddhist monasteries
  • Tourism is Bhutan’s second biggest revenue earner, after hydropower, and its largest employment creator – but the pandemic hit the industry hard

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Punakha Dzong Monastery, one of Asia’s largest monasteries, in Punakha, Bhutan. The tiny Himalayan kingdom is reopening to tourists next month. Photo: Shutterstock
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Bhutan is set to welcome back international tourists from next month, as the Himalayan kingdom eases its strict zero-Covid policy more than two years after slamming shut its borders to keep the virus out.
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The country of fewer than 800,000 people, nestled between China and India, is grappling with the effects of soaring oil and grain prices worsened by the war in Ukraine, as well as with the continued impact of the pandemic.

Bhutan’s reopening from September 23 onwards will come with some major changes in regulations, said Dorji Dhradul, director general of the Tourism Council of Bhutan.

Tourists walk past stalls at a market in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu in 2018. Photo: AFP
Tourists walk past stalls at a market in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu in 2018. Photo: AFP

A mandatory prepayment for package tours known as the “Minimum Daily Package Rate” of US$200 to US$250 per night per tourist has been abolished. This had included accommodation, transfers within Bhutan, meals and a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF).

Visitors will now be able to apply for their own visas and have the option of choosing service providers once they reach Bhutan. Previously they had to plan and pay for the entire trip through a government-authorised travel agency.

“We hope this change will foster creativity among the tourism services and encourage flexibility for tourists to choose the service of their choice and pay accordingly,” Dhradhul said.

Tourists will still have to pay an SDF, however, increased from US$65 per night to US$200.

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