Bhutan reduces US$200-a-day compulsory fees for tourists who stay longer

Bhutan is a bucket list destination for many travellers, but not everyone can afford to go because of its compulsory Sustainable Development Fee. -- MELODY L. GOH/The Star

Bhutan will lower the nightly fees it charges tourists who stay more than four days, in an attempt to boost visitor numbers that are still a fraction of the level before the Covid-19 pandemic.

When the scenic Himalayan kingdom reopened its borders for tourists in September last year after more than two years of pandemic closure, it raised its “Sustainable Development Fee” to US$200 (RM935) per visitor per night from the US$65 (RM304) it had charged for about three decades.