Bhutan introduces “sustainable development fee” for regional tourists

Bhutan recently introduced a “sustainable development fee” for regional tourists, as there is a sharp rise in Indian visitors to the country. The lower house of Bhutan Parliament passed the legislation in this regard.

The regional tourists, who were previously exempted from the fee were the tourists from India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. Now for entering Bhutan, they have to pay a fee of 1,200 ngultrums ($16.85) per day. The fee, which will be charged from July 2020, will assist the government in tackling the traffic control due to sharp rise in tourist count.