Proposed tariff
Tariff: The official Government Tourism Tariff will be increased to $250 US per person
Season: All year round (No lean season months)
Children below 12 years: No royalty
Surcharge: Status quo
Note: The above is due to go into effect starting January 2011.
Monitoring of Bhutan Tourism Services: Respective organizations will develop mechanisms to monitor their members in collaboration with the Tourism Council of Bhutan. The Council will also ensure proper location and addresses of all tour operators and facilitate their licensing procedures. Unlicensed tour companies are not permitted to operate in Bhutan.
Code of conduct
The Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (ABTO) has been mandated to institute and promote ethical conduct (Code of Conduct to promote and sustain responsible tourism guidelines. ABTO is also mandated to monitor and regulate in a fully transparent environment the various packages offered within the tariff schedules. ABTO and the Hotel Association of Bhutan (HAB) will work closely together on further improving the quality of cuisine and its variety.
Absolutely no room for unethical activities
No clemency will be granted to those involved in unethical tourism in Bhutan such as sex tourism and other forms of illegal tourism. The Government has pledged to take swift and determined action against violators.
Our Honorable Prime Minister has appealed to the tourism fraternity to promote and preserve our national identity through wearing our national dress to individual private offices.
Please be informed that an official announcement/ circular on the above will soon be circulated. Until then, please treat the above information as reference and for your kind information only.
Important Recommendations for Visitors planning to engage in Bhutan Tourism
As a tourist, you should make reservations for your tour through a recognized Bhutanese tour operator with your entire land arrangements provided by us. For cultural tours in Bhutan, the booking arrangements should be made four weeks in advance. During festivals however, the arrangements should be made six weeks in advance. The spring and autumn festivals are the peak times for tourism in Bhutan, and without early reservations, it's often difficult to confirm flight and hotel reservations.
Visa Formalities:
All foreigners travelling to Bhutan require a visa, the visas are issued from Thimphu and can only be obtained on arrival in Bhutan. Travellers must however apply for visa clearance through a local Bhutanese tour operator. The visa clearance process can take up to 15 days to be processed. At the point of entry a visa will be stamped onto your passport upon production of a letter of approval and the payment of a 20 $ visa fee. All visas are issued for a period of 15 days and if you wish to extend your visa you can do so in Thimphu at an additional cost of Nu. 510
Cancellation Policy.
Delayed Arrival:
There is no extra charge for delays in arrival or departures due to extreme weather conditions that cause disruption of air services or road blocks. The tourist must however bear the cost of accommodations, F&B, transportation etc.
Note: Indian currency notes up to the value of Rs. 100 are legal tender in Bhutan. However 500 and 1000 rupees notes are not accepted in Bhutan