Bhutan’s tourism industry is gaining momentum this year, as the country welcomed 26 per cent more tourists in the first five months of this year, generating USD 68.7 M in revenue. The increase in visitor numbers was mainly driven by Indian tourists, whose arrivals increased by 33 per cent compared to the same period last year.
According to the Royal Monetary Authority’s monthly statistical bulletin, Bhutan welcomed more than 102 thousand SDF-paying tourists between January and May this year. This is a significant increase, compared to over 80 thousand arrivals recorded during the same period last year.
The increase in visitor numbers also helped raise SDF revenue by USD 4.9 M from USD 63.8 M recorded during the same period last year.
The increase in arrivals was mainly driven by visitors from India. Bhutan received close to 74 thousand Indian tourists during the first five months of this year, compared to a little over 55 thousand during the same period last year. This is an increase of about 33 per cent.
Revenue from Indian tourists also increased, rising from USD 25.6 M last year to USD 33.2 M this year.
Meanwhile, visitor numbers from countries other than India also increased to around 29 thousand, up from over 26 thousand tourists during the same period last year.
However, despite the increase in arrivals, the revenue from the dollar-paying group decreased to USD 35.5 M this year from USD 38.2 M last year.
An official from the Department of Tourism said the decrease could be linked to the average length of stay, as visitors who spend fewer days in Bhutan contribute less SDF even if the number of arrivals increases.
While the tourism sector shows signs of recovery with more arrivals, officials say increasing visitor numbers must go hand in hand with longer stays to maximise the benefits from tourism.
Kinley Bidha
Edited by Phub Gyem
