KATHMANDU: The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is preparing to halve the $200 daily fee it charges tourists in an effort to boost a sector still struggling to recover a year after the end of Covid-19 restrictions.
Bhutan raised its “Sustainable Development Fee” to $200 per visitor per night, from $65, when it ended two years of Covid restrictions in September last year, saying the money would go to offset the carbon generated by visitors.
The new rate of $100 per night would come into effect from September and last for four years, the government said in a statement late on Friday.
“This is in view of the important role of the tourism sector in generating employment, earning foreign exchange … and in boosting overall economic growth,” it said.
Isolated for generations, Bhutan opened to tourists in 1974 when it received 300 visitors. The number soared to 315,600…
