A two-day stakeholder meeting on Sorig Wellness called for stronger collaboration to promote the country’s traditional healing practices. Rooted in holistic well-being of the body, mind and spirit, Sorig Wellness is expected to expand into tourism, hospitality, and healthcare, and the upcoming Gelephu Mindfulness City. The initiative is aimed at maintaining the authenticity of Bhutanese healing practices while creating employment and new business opportunities, blending ancient wisdom with modern well-being.
Sorig Wellness practices include yoga, meditation, herbal therapy, and traditional massage, among others.
The stakeholder meeting brought together representatives from the government, private and non-governmental agencies.
The participants said that Sorig Wellness currently lacks adequate training, skills development, and coordination among training institutes, employment agencies and private entrepreneurs. They highlighted that Bhutan’s Sorig Wellness practices have a strong potential for growth and impact.
“We have a lot of medicinal herbs that are not being put to use, and there are lots of traditional hospitals too. However, we have never really understood it. So, now that I understand it well, I think that it’s important to spread awareness among the public. Most do not really understand it despite having many experts and medicinal herbs,” said Pem Bidha, Participant, MoICE.
“So, we are promoting Bhutan as a wellness destination, and we have a lot of potential to offer in tourism in terms of wellness products. And the Department of Tourism is working on it,” said Pema Zangmo, Participant, Department of Tourism.
“There are methods of inhaling herbs from a cup, but considering the changing times, the traditional hospital has changed it into capsules and tablets, similar to foreign medicines. It has improved a lot, but it needs to be promoted,” said Gado, Dagala Gup, Thimphu.
“With the new health service regulation 2025, and then we are discussing here to deliberate the gaps and also revise the standards and get new ideas and also the practical on how to improve the collaboration among the stakeholders,” said Tandin Chogyel, Programme Analyst, Traditional Medicine Division, MoH.
The health ministry has introduced fully functional Sorig Wellness Centres in three hotels in Thimphu and is in the process of expanding to five more hotels in Thimphu and Paro.
These eight hotels are expected to mark the beginning of a standardised Sorig Wellness practice in the country’s tourism industry.
Singye Dema
Edited by Sonam Pem
