𝐁𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓-𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟒

…𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒈𝒚 𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑩𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒍𝒐𝒃𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎

By Kezang Choden

The Bhutan Integrated Tourism Master Plan 2025-2034 lays out a comprehensive roadmap to transform the country’s tourism sector into a sustainable driver of national development. Building on Bhutan’s long-standing High Value, Low Volume policy, the plan seeks to position the country as a global leader in regenerative, high value tourism while safeguarding cultural authenticity and environmental integrity.

The master plan is anchored on four core pillars- sustainable growth, strategic market development, year-round destination development, and regional development than USD 345 million in receipts and supporting approximately 52,000 jobs across about 7,000 tourism-related establishments. Beyond its direct contribution, tourism has a wide-reaching impact on other sectors, including agriculture, entertainment, transport, and allied services, creating strong multiplier effects across the economy. With the Integrated Tourism Master Plan 2025-2034, Bhutan aims to build a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tourism sector that continues to support national development while preserving the values that define the country.

Wang Tshering, the Gup of Gakiling Gewog in Haa Dzongkhag, said the gewog is working closely with the Dzongkhag Administration to develop the area as a tourist destination, citing the presence of several sacred sites within the gewog. He shared that His Majesty The King inaugurated the Rongtse Nye Tshechu on December 23, 2017, marking a significant moment for the community.

“Beyond its sacred significance, Rongtse Nye Tshechu brings people together, strengthening community bonds and enriching Haa’s cultural identity,” he said.
To attract more tourists to Gakiling Gewog, Wang Tshering highlighted plans to promote locally made bamboo and cane products during upcoming festivals. He said these traditional products not only showcase local skills and culture but also provide an opportunity for residents to earn income during festival periods.

The gewog, he added, is looking at ways to strengthen this initiative by improving coordination and planning around festivals and religious events. By combining spiritual tourism with local craftsmanship, the gewog hopes to create sustainable livelihood opportunities while preserving its cultural heritage. According to the Gup, developing tourism in Gakiling Gewog is not only about increasing visitor numbers but also about ensuring that the benefits reach local communities and encourage the preservation of sacred sites and traditional practices.

A hotelier from Paro said one of the biggest challenges facing the hospitality sector is the inconsistent flow of travelers throughout the year. While demand surges during the peak months, it drops sharply during the lean season, creating operational and financial strain for hotels. The problem is compounded by the concentration of leisure travel, government meetings, conferences, and MICE events within the same peak periods. This results in overcrowding during high season, while hotels remain largely underutilized for the rest of the year.

Human resource management is another major concern, driven largely by seasonality and the imbalance between the growing number of hotels and the limited pool of travelers. Most hotels generate strong returns only during peak months, making it difficult to retain staff and maintain stable operations year-round. Although hotels rely on off-season promotions and marketing campaigns to attract guests, the hotelier noted that marketing alone can offer only limited relief when overall tourist numbers remain low.

He emphasized that a more consistent and evenly distributed flow of visitors across the year is essential for the long-term sustainability of hotel operations in Paro and beyond.
Hoteliers have called for stronger government support, particularly in improving demand distribution and accessibility across the year. They say that government meetings, conferences, and MICE events should be scheduled during lean and shoulder seasons rather than being concentrated in peak months, which would help ease pressure during busy periods and improve occupancy during slower times.

Industry representatives also stressed the need for incentives aimed at long-stay visitors such as wellness tourists, retirees, and digital nomads. They believe this segment could help stabilize hotel occupancy throughout the year and reduce the sharp seasonal fluctuations many properties currently face.
High airfares and limited connectivity remain major barriers, especially during the off-season, discouraging potential visitors and affecting overall demand. At the same time, hotels continue to struggle with shortages of trained staff across a wide range of roles. These include front office, housekeeping, kitchen and food and beverage services, as well as engineering and maintenance professionals. There is also a growing shortage of human resource and finance professionals, along with spa and wellness therapists, particularly in hotels that are focusing on wellness tourism. Hoteliers said these workforce challenges are closely linked to seasonality and the lack of stable year-round employment, which makes it difficult to attract and retain experienced professionals.

At the destination level, industry players also suggested stronger efforts to encourage travel beyond the Golden Circle of Paro, Thimphu, and Punakha. Targeted incentives to promote lesser-visited regions would help distribute tourists more evenly across the country and provide much-needed support to hotels operating outside the main tourism hubs.
The plan introduces the innovative FUTURE PATH framework, a guiding approach designed to steer Bhutan’s tourism development over the next decade. The framework brings together forward-thinking governance, unified regional growth, talent development, and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, ensuring that progress remains firmly aligned with national values. It also emphasizes revolutionary product innovation, stronger and more engaged partnerships, and the use of predictive data insights to inform policy and investment decisions.

Adaptive branding and transformative visitor experiences form key elements of the approach, allowing Bhutan to respond to changing global travel trends while preserving its unique identity. Holistic ecotourism development sits at the heart of the FUTURE PATH framework, reinforcing the country’s commitment to environmental conservation and community wellbeing. By adopting this comprehensive model, the plan aims to ensure that tourism growth remains balanced, resilient, and responsive, supporting national priorities while adapting to the evolving global tourism landscape.