In a major promotional initiative aimed at highlighting Bhutan’s pristine landscapes and rich cultural heritage, Original Bhutan Travels, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, is hosting a team of six world-class aerial and documentary photographers from the Amazing Aerial Agency. The 15-day assignment, which concludes this Tuesday, aims to produce stunning visual content to support Bhutan’s global tourism marketing.
Led by Paul Prescott, CEO of Amazing Aerial Agency and a photographer with 25 years of experience, six multinational team arrived in Bhutan on the 16th of this month.
Over the course of their journey, they have been travelling across Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang, Trongsa, Bumthang, and Haa, capturing Bhutan’s landscapes, heritage sites, and cultural experiences through both drone and conventional photography.
Paul Prescott said, “When we saw that Bhutan didn’t have any aerial photography from above, we decided it would be a really great idea to come to Bhutan. So we contacted the Department of Tourism, and we presented our plan to come and shoot with drones, and after many, many months of preparation working with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Civil Aviation, we managed to get the drone permits.”
In addition to providing high-quality visual content to support the Department of Tourism’s global promotional efforts, the photographers will also promote Bhutan through their own publishing and media networks.
These include prestigious platforms like the National Geographic.
“Well, coming to Bhutan, we had no idea of what to expect. So, travelling for 15 days, we’ve seen different sides of Bhutan, from the Dzongs, from the monks, and living in homestays. So, we’re hoping to build features that we can present to televisions and also to the press to tell more stories about Bhutan,” said Paul Prescott.
“The opportunity of capturing Bhutan from different angles, which hasn’t been done before from the drone and different perspectives, I think, will bring more attention to the hidden beauty that you don’t necessarily see from the ground and from eye-level. So, I’m hoping that these images will open more eyes to people to think outside of the box and look at their environment differently,” said Kevin Pages, a member of the Amazing Aerial Agency.
“It was a great opportunity to take aerial photos because we had special permission. I also take a lot of ground photos, as I like documentary, and I like to shoot people in an authentic, you know? I don’t really like posting things. I like to capture the moment. And I think with this we can show the real experience of Bhutan and authenticity,” said AgnieszkaWieczorek, another photographer.
Founded in 2017, Amazing Aerial Agency represents a network of 500 photographers across 85 countries. The six photographers selected for this assignment are among the agency’s top talent, chosen for their international recognition and expertise in aerial and documentary photography.
This initiative reflects Bhutan’s strategic approach to tourism marketing, aiming to attract travellers through high-quality visual storytelling and digital outreach.
Namgay Wangdi
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
