To visit Bhutan, travelers have to pay tourism fees. However, recently it was announced that you can avoid a portion of these fees if you stay for five nights or more.
The country opened its borders again in September 2022, and the country established rules about its tourism fees. But as of a few weeks ago, things have changed.
Bhutan amended its Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) so that visitors can get a discount. The fee is $200 a day, so it adds up to visit the country, but now, if you’re staying in Bhutan for four days, you get exempt for four days.
Moreover, if you pay for 7 days, you’ll get exempt for 7 days, and finally, if you pay for 12 days, you’ll get exempt for 18 days. This results in substantial savings for tourists.
If you’re staying for one week, you’ll save up to $600, and you’ll save up to $3,600 if you’re staying in the country for an entire month. This change went into effect on June 1st, so as of now, tourists have access to the discount.
It is not shocking that tourists have to pay fees to stay in Bhutan, as this has been the status quo throughout the past few years. It is a little surprising that this change regarding the SDF went into effect, though.
With the incentive of getting a discount if you stay longer, officials in the country believe that the tourism industry will thrive. This is likely true because Bhutan is an up-and-coming destination for travelers.
In fact, the National Geographic Expeditions program recently added Bhutan to its lineup of travel destinations. Starting in 2024, people will be able to travel to Bhutan under the direction of professionals with credentials in photography, conservation, geography, archeology, and more from National Geographic.
For now, it is more affordable to visit Bhutan, which is exciting for many travelers.