Guwahati: As tourists footfall from India, Bangladesh and Maldives to Bhutan have spiked by over 10% in last one year, the Lower House of Bhutan, in a significant development, has decided to charge a fee of Rs 1,200 per day from each tourist from these three countries for ‘sustainable development’.
According to reports, the charges will be levied on a daily basis starting July this year.
Currently, travelers from India, Bangladesh and Maldives do not pay any charges. However, international tourists visiting Bhutan pay approx $250 ( Rs 18,000) as a minimum charge, per day, per person. This $250 charge also includes a $65 “Sustainable Development fee” and a $40 visa charge.
The new legislation comes out of ecological and environmental concerns, and authorities concerned in Bhutan have assured that tourists from India won’t face any inconvenienced due to it.