Sustainable Tourism to Achieve Sustainable Development

Bhutan is a ‘NEGATIVE COUNTRY’ – what it means is that it is one of the few countries in the world that absorbs more carbon than it emits. This is possible due to its vast forest cover and the Bhutanese lifestyle, which is sustainable in nature, making Bhutan popular for its sustainable tourism.

Sustainable Tourism, as defined by UNWTO, is tourism in a country taking into account its present and future economic, social, and environmental impacts while addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment as well as host communities. Bhutan is a modest, mountainous country, and its government takes a continuous thoughtful approach to planning and developing tourism in Bhutan.

The tourism industry in Bhutan is founded on the principle of sustainability. Right from the time, it opened for tourism in 1974 has had a ‘High Value, Low Volume’ approach aiming to limit the number of high-spending tourists as opposed to the mass tourism market. As part of this, Bhutan collected a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) from the tourists that would be used to provide free education and healthcare for the citizens as well as ensure sustainable practices while touring (sustainable products, cleaning after trekking, avoiding littering, planting trees etc.).

 Post the COVID-19 pandemic, the SDF has been raised from USD$65 to USD$200 per person, per night. This is for the long-term benefit of the country, its infrastructure, citizen well-being, and of course, tourism.

Most tourists visit the country between March and October when most festivals in Bhutan are celebrated, providing the tourists with a different cultural experience of Bhutan. For instance, indigenous festivals like Tsechu and the ‘Black-necked crane ‘festival (Grus nigricollis) are measures to strengthen the identity and protect species diversity. Apart from this, the accommodation for the tourists is mostly provided in rural areas where the tourists get an opportunity to interact with the inhabitants while exploring the culture and ensuring its sustainability.

The High-Value Low Volume approach adopted by Bhutan would go a long way to help the country ensure sustainable development in the environment and economic and socio-cultural areas in the long run.

Would a similar approach to tourism be practical and efficient in other countries? Let us have your views.