Tourism in Bhutan

The Bhutanese government privatised the Bhutan Tourism Corporation (BTC) in October 1991, facilitating private-sector investment and activity. As a result, over 75 licensed tourist companies operate in the country. Previously, all tourists (group or individual) had to travel on a planned, prepaid, guided package-tour or according to a custom-designed travel-program. Potential tourists had to make arrangements through an officially approved tour operator, either directly or through an overseas agent. == Visa to Bhutan ==

Bhutan's tourism policy was further revised in June 2022 to maintain its 'High Value, Low Volume' policy and all nationalities had to pay US $200 as a Sustainable Development Fee per night to obtain a visa to Bhutan, while Indian nationals have to pay 1,200 INR to obtain a permit. Starting from August 2023, the SDF decreased to $100, while the amount for Indians, stayed the same. However, travelers can now arrange their own accommodations and itinerary when traveling in the country. Almost all nationalities need to pre-arrange their visa or permit prior to visiting Bhutan based on the updated visa policy of Bhutan. == Airlines ==

Druk Air, founded in 1981, used to be the only airline operating flights in Bhutan, until the liberalization of the aviation industry with the introduction of Bhutan Airlines in December 2011. ==Arrivals by country==

In 2019, the country saw its highest number of tourists yet, at more than 315,000 people. The growth was boosted by the Asia-Pacific market, notably from India, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia, Japan, China, Singapore, Bangladesh, Malaysia and South Korea. Western markets also increased, notably from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France. Most visitors arriving to Bhutan on a short-term basis were from the following countries: ==UNESCO Tentative List of Bhutan==

In 2012, Bhutan formally listed its tentative sites to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. It was the first time Bhutan listed its sites to the organization for future inclusion. Eight sites were listed throughout the country. ==Criticism of the "high quality, low volume" principle==

While Bhutan is successful in limiting the numbers of tourists who enter the country, with its principle of "High Quality, Low Volume" it can be argued, that a "high quality tourist" needs to be a wealthy tourist, because the hurdle of visiting Bhutan is mainly posed by the high pricing and not by actual interest or mindfulness. ==See also==