The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organised a learning journey programme in Thailand recently.
The programme focused on familiarising TCB officials about community-based tourism in Thailand and how to promote the same in Bhutan.
Tourism officials were also briefed on Thai’s tourism policy, marketing strategies and how to come up with better collaborative initiatives to improve community-based tourism in Bhutan.
The TCB’s Media Spokesperson, Damcho Rinzin said, “We want to get better ideas related to community based tourism from here and try to implement it in Bhutan.”
In Thailand, gorgeous farmhouses, breathtaking museums, monuments and other sacred sites have contributed a lot in making community-based tourism a huge success.
To enhance better knowledge and skills in developing community tourism, TCB officials also visited some of the popular tourist destinations in Thailand.
“Both countries have their own strength and we should develop marketing programme together to attract Thai and Bhutanese tourists in two countries,” said Dr. Walailak Noypayak, Executive Director of TAT.
The programme is part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Bhutan and Thailand last year to strengthen tourism in both countries.
With such programmes, Bhutan expects to receive more international tourists, especially from Thailand.
Last year, over 4000 Thai tourists came to Bhutan.
The TAT said religious and cultural similarities between Bhutan and Thailand, and former’s development philosophy of GNH attracts Thai tourists to visit Bhutan.
“Thai people are interested to come to your country because they very much appreciate the vision and efforts of His Majesty The King of Bhutan. His Majesty is the role model for our people,” added the Executive Director.
