The local authorities in Haa Dzongkhag will not grant permission to any individuals to set up handicraft and souvenir shops. This is mainly to discourage import of handicraft items from foreign countries and promote home-made creations.
The move was introduced following the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu session.
The Haa Dzongdag, Kinzang Dorji said: “In many places, souvenir shops sell almost 60-70 per cent imported products. We don’t want tourists to visit Haa and such items. We want to promote our local souvenirs.”
The dzongkhag administration has opened ‘Visitors’ Centre for Tourists’ in the municipal area to sell indigenous products to tourists. Locals have been trained to produce such products.
Some tourists said when they see attractive handicraft items; first question that comes to their mind is its originality.
“If we see beautiful handmade products, we might be tempted to buy but first thing that we want to know where these products are made from,” said one of the tourists, Marlyse Gander.
Over 4,500 tourists visited Haa, shows the latest record of tourist arrival in the dzongkhag.
