Some 70 hotels and eateries in Bumthang have offered meatless menu since the first month of the Bhutanese calendar.
In June last year, members of the Bumthang Hotel Association concurred on the move of not serving meat meals to guests during auspicious months of the Bhutanese Calendar. First and fourth months are auspicious months.
According to the President of Bumthang Family Run Hotel Association, Pema Dawa, this initiative has helped hoteliers in reducing wasteful expenditure as they need not have to buy meat in bulk. Furthermore, the president said it will save lives of animals.
Some hotel owners said at first, customers asked for meat items but eventually they were fine with the no meat menu.
Meanwhile, Bumthang’s representative for Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ugyen Sangay added that hoteliers have unanimously agreed and signed a petition to not to serve meat items. Bumthang’s Thromde Thuemi, Karma Lekden also shared till date, none of the hotel owners have disliked the initiative.
Other than hotels and eateries, the Dzongkhag Administration has refrained from serving meat at official congregations and events. Few years ago, the government banned the sale of meat products during the auspicious months in the country. But, hotels and restaurants were allowed to serve meat products.
