Dechen Dolkar

This year’s Thimphu Tshechu attracted over 1,000 international visitors, according to the Department of Tourism (DoT).

With global travel gradually recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic, Bhutan has witnessed an increase in tourist arrivals.

An official from the DoT said that efforts have been made to actively promote the festival through press releases and social media campaigns. “Based on trends from previous years, we expect a similar turnout, especially from Europe and the USA, along with a significant number of Indian guests,” the official said.

Last year, over 1,000 tourists from various countries attended the festival, with numbers ranging between 1,000 and 1,500 before the pandemic.

The department is focused on delivering an exceptional experience year-round, emphasising authentic engagements and maintaining high service standards, said the DOT official.

“We prioritise offering authentic experiences throughout the year,” the official added.

This includes capacity building, maintaining service standards, and continuous monitoring to ensure high professionalism and quality services.

While flights for September and October are fully booked, many hotels have yet to receive substantial bookings, and some remain vacant.

Hotel owners in Thimphu claimed that their hotel has only 10 percent occupancy, despite the festival already starting.

Hotel owners are optimistic that bookings will increase as the season progresses.

The lower occupancy rates might be attributed to the high number of available hotels across Bhutan, including 105 in Thimphu and 107 in Paro, spanning various categories from 1-star to 5-star and including homestays.

Tourists currently pay a Sustainable Development Fee of USD 100 per day,which is  a promotional rate valid until August 31, 2027.

According to the Socio-Economic Indicators report from the National Statistics Bureau, from January to June this year, around 75,608 tourists visited Bhutan. Of these, 23,100 were international tourists, while 52,508 came from India.

As of June, the country has earned USD 14.58 million in revenue from tourism.

However, up-to-date figures on tourist arrivals are currently unavailable due to administrative delays, with the Department of Tourism having to obtain data from the Department of Immigration, which has also faced challenges in providing the latest statistics.