Neten Dorji
Samdrupjongkhar—Tour operators and hotel owners in eastern Bhutan are increasingly frustrated by the delay in opening of the Samdrupjongkhar gate for entry and exit for international tourists.
This prolonged closure is severely affecting the businesses of 48 tour operators and local hoteliers in eastern Bhutan.
Despite multiple government announcements, the opening date remains unclear, leaving many operators bewildered.
“We don’t understand why it keeps getting delayed. This uncertainty complicates our ability to manage bookings and plan trips for tourists,” said one operator.
Lhab Tshering, owner of Why Not Bhutan, had to change his tour routes due to the gate’s closure, rerouting tourists from Delhi to Bagdora, then to Paro and Yonphula, which has additional cost and challenges. “Our guests become frustrated when the itinerary doesn’t go as planned. They don’t want to pay extra, so we have to cover those costs, which results in big losses for us,” he said.
He also said that the unpredictability of domestic flights is a nightmare for both tourists and operators.
Their entire planning process is based on information from last year, which indicated that the Samdrupjongkhar gate would be open by September or October. “We were waiting for the gate to open last month. The government could at least inform us if it won’t open this time,” he said.
According to the tour operators, over 400 international tourists are waiting to enter Bhutan through Samdrupjongkhar.
Some tour agents have contacted the government and the Department of Tourism for updates on the situation and even reached out to the Indian Embassy in Thimphu.
“We were told the gate would open after the Bhutan Innovation Forum but nothing has happened as promised,” said another tour operator. “We would appreciate it if the government allowed entry for tourists with bookings between September and November.”
Shiva, the manager of Heavenly Bhutan Tour Company, said that they are eagerly waiting for the Samdrupjongkhar gate to open. He has received several inquiries about when this entry and exit point will open.
He said that they have cancelled a few tourist bookings for those wanting to enter from Samdrupjongkhar. “Once the gate opens for international tourists, more visitors will come to the eastern and central regions. This will allow tourists to enter from Samdrupjongkhar and exit from the west and the other way round.”
The uncertainty has led to increased cancellations at local hotels. An employee at Menjung Hotel in Samdrupjongkhar said, “Receiving emails from agents and tourists cancelling reservations is disheartening. Our livelihoods depend on tourism, and we fear for our jobs if the gate remains closed.”
A hotel owner said, “We usually charge for cancellations, but we can’t hold guests accountable for national issues.”
He said the delay in reopening the gate is having a significant impact. “We feel that if this continues, hotel businesses may have to shut down.”
Kuensel recently visited Darranga and learned that the construction of Foreigners’ Check Post has been completed and is set to open soon. It is located in a small town in the Buxa district of Bodoland, Assam, about four kilometres from Bhutan’s international border.

The immigration check post at Darranga in India
Meanwhile, during the meet-the-press yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, D.N. Dhungyel, said that following instructions from the current government, the ministry is coordinating with the Government of India through the embassy to open the gate.
“The Samdrupjongkhar gate will be opened to tourists as soon as possible, but we are only waiting for the date to be confirmed,” he said. “The work on both sides is complete, but a final opening date will be decided soon.”