The government says it is targeting to achieve the pre-pandemic tourist arrival numbers by next year. To accomplish this, the government is planning to diversify the country’s tourism sector through a series of activities, all the while ensuring that the policy of “High Value, Low Volume” is not affected. This was shared during the Meet the Press session today.
According to the Prime Minister, the government aims to achieve the 300,000 tourist arrival numbers before 2027.
“To wait until 2027 to achieve this target would constitute a failure. If possible, we are considering achieving 300,000 tourist arrivals this year. We are focusing on effective marketing. If we cannot achieve it this year, we must do so by next year.”
The industry, commerce and employment minister highlighted several challenges that hinder the country’s ability to attract tourists.
Industry, Commerce and Employment Minister Namgyal Dorji said, “There is a problem with seasonality, as most tourists visit the country during spring and autumn. We also face an issue with geographical concentration, as tourists typically confine their trips to the western region, neglecting the east, north, and south.”
He added that limited flight options and outdated digital booking systems further hinder growth.
To address these issues, the government has outlined a series of initiatives aimed at diversifying tourism. This includes developing year-round experiences across all districts, product diversification, developing seamless digital platforms and enhancing infrastructure, among other measures.
Despite efforts to boost tourist arrival, the Prime Minister reiterated that the country remains committed to its high-value, low-volume tourism policy.
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said, “When we increase tourist arrivals, it will not compromise our policy since we have the SDF. The SDF will help safeguard the policy. If the number exceeds 300,000, we will have to increase the SDF.”
Last year, over 145,000 tourists arrived in the country, generating more than Nu 2.6bn in revenue.
Deki Lhazom
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
