Responsible tourism in Bhutan

The Tourism Model: how much bang for your buck?

Confusingly, the $250 daily traveller tariff (reduced to $200 in Jan, Feb, Jun, July, Aug and Dec) you’ll need to pay to visit Bhutan is often referred to as a tax. It isn’t a tax; it’s an entry fee – a minimum amount you will need to spend on your trip to enter Bhutan, including tax, visa, lodging, food, guide and travel within the country. You can’t spend less than that rate, but you can spend far more if you opt for ‘5* properties’ over more authentic, rural accommodation options.

And so the myth that Bhutan is hugely expensive perpetuates. What the country is trying to achieve – and is managing to achieve – is not just a high value tourism model, but a low impact one too: charge people a substantial amount of money to enter and you won’t have hordes of them, so you won’t damage what’s precious about the place. Once tourist destinations become overdeveloped and exploited we no longer want to go there; we all want to go to unspoilt places and there’s a great irony in that, but it’s an irony that Bhutan understands and is striving to control.

The tourism policy in place was designed to protect and share the country’s incredible landscape with tourists while keeping it special for the locals too, a point that supports their pioneering philosophy of Gross National Happiness, so the question that remains is whether the income from tourism, which is substantial, is spread widely enough? When you have a small number of tourists in very defined areas the risk with their strategy is that the benefits of tourism will not be widely felt, but $65 out of every $250 fee goes towards funding the free education and healthcare that the Bhutanese government provides for its citizens and although about 30% of the rural population live under the poverty line, you don’t see beggars, slums or homelessness, so they must be doing something right.

The line of thought on Bhutan’s tourism model could run and run – is it sustainable? Probably. But it’s also relatively fledgling. Does it defy global economic sensibility? Probably. But the Bhutanese are not conventional. It might not be the right approach for every destination, but it seems to be the right one for them.

When visiting ancient and sacred sites there are a few protocol that are handy to know and easy to follow: don’t climb on ruins, avoid touching any religious object, and when you walk around Buddhist monuments and temples, do so in a clockwise direction, that is – keep the monument on your right. It is generally not a problem to enter Buddhist temples, but take your shoes off and don't take photos while you’re in there. Although welcoming and proud, the Bhutanese are protective of their tourism policy and understandably cagey about discussing their political situation with the Lotshampa (Bhutanese of Nepalese descent) – if the conversation is brought to you then ask informed questions, but never steam ahead with your own opinions. You will learn a much greater understanding of their point of view if you speak less and listen more. Bhutan is a conservative and religious country. Women should have their legs and shoulders covered and men should wear full-length trousers and tops with long sleeves. Avoid touching people’s heads: it is considered a sacrilege, and do not stretch your legs in public, as legs are considered impure. When visiting temples, respect both the place and the people that pray there. Do not throw anything into the fire as it considered sacred and, if for some reason – time of day, particular prayer time – you are not permitted to enter, accept this graciously and ask your guide to ask when might be a better time to come back. Respect any animals and wildlife you might encounter. Do not feed any animals unless you are specifically given permission, avoid picking flowers no matter how beautiful they may be – it’s likely your guide will provide you with a reference book, so you can identify plants in situ, do not touch or move fossils, and importantly, don’t stroke dogs – they can be aggressive towards strangers and stray dogs in Bhutan may carry rabies. In Bhutanese culture it is offensive to show what you receive as a gift or gratuity. Always give your tip directly to the recipient in a sealed envelope if possible, which you should never expect to see opened in front of you. Don’t give pens, money, or sweets to the local people you encounter on visits to villages and it can encourage begging and may be seen to establish a non-equal relationship between tourist and local with tourists being seen as simply ‘givers’ giving to ‘the poor’. Instead, buy local handicrafts directly from villagers and show an interest in their skills. Sweets may seem like an ideal gift for children, but access to dentists is extremely limited to rural dwellers and the last thing you want to give them is tooth decay! Along with narcotics and pornography, the import and export of antiques and religious artifacts is banned. If you’re unsure while shopping, check with your guide – if they’re unsure they can double-check with the government’s Antiquities Department. The buying and selling of tobacco products is banned in Bhutan, though you are allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes for personal consumption, which will be slapped with a 200% import duty price tag. It is prohibited to smoke in public offices and in government premises and an absolute no-no to smoke anywhere near temples or religious sites. The litter problem in Bhutan is growing and has increased with the wider availability of pre-packaged goods. The government has launched a Clean Bhutan programme, which has a commitment to use volunteers to clean up streams, trekking routes, villages and towns, but that doesn’t mean we should add to the problem. Keep your waste to a minimum – avoid buying foods with plastic packaging from shops, buy additional food from local markets to avoid packaging, take an empty plastic bag with you on treks, so you can pick up any additional litter you might spot and take particularly harmful waste, such as batteries, back home with you.