A group of unemployed youth in Zhemgang set out on a journey to self-employment a decade ago. They started off by running the first-ever community-based river rafting enterprise in Panbang. It was not all a smooth sail. But things eventually worked out in their favour. However, just when they thought their business was starting to grow, the pandemic hit the country and reversed the little progress they made. But all is not lost. The River Guides of Panbang have bigger hopes. They plan to bring additional tourism products in Panbang to attract more visitors and do their bit in promoting the area as a hub for ecotourism.
When mentioning Zhemgang, the one thing that comes to the minds of most people familiar with the district is the pristine environment; the rich forest cover and the swift-flowing rivers.
Besides that, there is nothing much happening in the district which is listed as one of the most inaccessible with the highest poverty rate in the country.
The group comprising 11 youths in Panbang explored opportunities in the natural environment they have been blessed with in 2012.
Eventually, they found their source of livelihood in riding the waves of Mangdechhu and Drangmechhu, the two of the country’s largest rivers flowing through Panbang.
The Bhutan Foundation and World Wildlife Fund helped five of them get certified as white-water rescue technicians from Nepal in 2012.
The group started commercial rafting by 2013 and the business started to grow thereafter with more adventurers visiting Panbang for river rafting. Besides rafting, they provide other adventure tourism products such as fishing and biking as of now.
However, the number of visitors couldn’t peak as expected as there weren’t any hotel or lodge facilities in Panbang back then. The group then constructed the jungle camp in Marangduth village in 2016 which is around 10 minutes’ drive from Panbang town. The establishment of the camp served its purpose, the group began receiving more visitors.
“By 2016, things were going well. The guests coming to the lodge also raft. By then, Panbang started having a few hotels and an eco-lodge as well. As there is no other rafting business in Panbang, their guests would also go rafting with us. So, by 2016 and 2017, the numbers started to increase,” said Thinley Dorji, a river guide.
The growth of their business eventually helped contribute to the socioeconomic development of the Dungkhag.
“So, the locals in Marang Duth village cultivate vegetables and we have been able to teach them to cultivate paddy as well. In doing so, when the crops grow well, the Jungle Lodge will be purchasing from them. That we don’t have to buy from others too. So, if we receive tourists, these initiatives will bear fruits and will benefit everyone in the community,” said Ugyen Tshering, a river guide.
Wangdi Drukpa, a resident of Panbang town said “the visitors buy vegetables and edibles from our shop. So it is benefitting us.”
However, the growth of the community-based enterprise came to a halt when the COVID-19 pandemic battered the tourism and travel industry worldwide.
“But 2020 hit us hard because of the pandemic. We almost shut down our company. Fortunately, His Majesty The King’s Kidu helped us sustain,” added Thinley Dorji.
They are persistent and have bigger plans to revive the business.
To increase the number of visitors to Panbang, the group has proposed the Department of Tourism to open entry and exit points closer to Panbang.
“If possible, it would benefit us immensely if we get an entry point at the Mathangburi. We have huge hopes that we will receive guests. When we talked with the officials of Bangsibari Park, they receive around 180,000 tourists every year. And if we receive even 10 per cent of that through Mathangburi, it will help us earn cash. And this will not benefit just the River Guides of Panbang but the entire community. And if that is not possible for the government, an entry point from Nganglam will help us too,” said Ugyen Tshering.
The River Guides of Panbang have also raised the issue with the district officials and the elected leaders in the local government and the parliament.
“Since these matters have to be dealt with at the policy level, officials at the gewog level, and the MPs have to see into these matters. Our responsibility is to raise these issues when the MPs and district officials visit. But we haven’t heard anything concrete on the matter from them so far,” added Ugyen Tshering.
To accomplish their dreams of turning Panbang into a destination for ecotourism, they have also approached their donor agencies and partners to help develop more tourism products in the area.
“In order to attract more visitors, we need more tourism products including, eco-trail, bird watching trail and tower and biking routes. We have already spotted locations for these products. The River Guides of Panbang will soon put up these in our proposals to the Department of Tourism, the Bhutan Foundation and the RSPN. In addition, we also prepared proposals to set up a café and construct a footpath at the twin waterfall,” said Dorji Wangchuk, a river guide.
They added that if Zhemgang is developed as a hub for ecotourism there will not be any need for other developmental activities to uplift the livelihoods of the people.
Ugyen Tshering said “if we can have ecotourism hub here, we will be able to do anything. If we have ecotourism hub here, we don’t see the need for other projects like hydropower plants. The government can give those projects to other districts and give us just ecotourism. This will make a huge difference in our lives.
While it is not definite when that dream will materialize, the River Guides of Panbang remain optimistic that they will see it come true someday. Until that happens, they are going to continue do their part to realize it while feeding adventurous souls, riding the waves, day in and day out.
Phub Gyem/Tshering Zam
The story is supported by GEF-UNDP Eco Tourism Project of the Department of Tourism.
