Insta
Bhutan Ends Free Entry For Indian Tourists, Levies A Sustainable Development Fee As Number Of Tourists Surge
Drukair Royal Bhutan Airlines (Facebook)
In a major development, the Government of Bhutan has decided to put an end to the decades of free entry which was allowed to tourists, as it decided to levy a daily sustainable development fee (SDF) of Rs 1,200 ($17) for all tourists arriving from not just India but also Bangladesh and Maldives, reports The Hindu.
The SDF has been levied by the Bhutan in a bid to generate funds to assist the government in dealing with the surging numbers of tourists visiting the landlocked Himalayan nation.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that the SDF of $17 is much lower than the SDf of $65 levied by the Government of Bhutan on the tourists arriving from all other foreign countries, who are also charged an additional and compulsory flat charge of $250 a day.
However, given the Indian tourists mainly travel to the more developed western parts of Bhutan, the government has decreed that no SDF would be imposed on tourists visiting 11 of the total 20 districts which constitute the eastern parts of the nation.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
