{"id":274166,"date":"2022-09-23T17:50:45","date_gmt":"2022-09-23T16:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/?p=274166"},"modified":"2022-09-24T14:55:22","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T13:55:22","slug":"bhutan-japan-are-reopening-to-international-travelers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/bhutan-japan-are-reopening-to-international-travelers\/","title":{"rendered":"Bhutan & Japan are reopening to international travelers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Friday\u00a0newsletters<\/a>\u00a0always feature luxury travel\u00a0contests<\/a>,\u00a0tips<\/a>, or news<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today: Bhutan & Japan are reopening to international travelers<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan<\/strong>, regarded as one of the world’s most exclusive and spectacular travel destinations, closed its borders during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the constitutional monarchy of less than 800,000 people has reported fewer than 60,000 infections and only 21 deaths. But today, after a closure of around two and half years, Bhutan<\/a> has reopened to international travelers and has introduced a few changes that aim to facilitate future visits to the country. For example, v<\/span>isitors no longer have to come through a tour operator and can book directly with hotels, whereas before they could choose only from the packages offered by their operators. Travelers will also be issued a 90-day visa, which can be applied for online, with the flexibility to come at any time within that period.<\/p>\n

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But the resumption of tourism also comes with a steep rise in the tourist tax, among other changes designed to avoid overtourism and to keep Bhutan a high-end, sustainable destination. International visitors to Bhutan now have to pay a “sustainable development fee” of $200 USD a night, up from $65 per night prior to the pandemic, to gain entry. This will be on top of the costs of accommodation, guides and other services – significantly raising the price of a visit. This increase in traveler fee will support development projects within the kingdom, including towards free education and healthcare. Some of the funds will also go towards planting trees, helping tourism industry workers to gain more skills, maintaining Bhutan\u2019s trails and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cBhutan\u2019s noble policy of high-value, low-volume tourism has existed since we started welcoming guests to our country. But its intent and spirit were watered down over the years, without us even realizing it,\u201d said H.E. Dr. Lotay Tshering, the Prime Minister of Bhutan. \u201cTherefore, as we reset as a nation after this pandemic, and officially open our doors to visitors today, we are reminding ourselves about the essence of the policy, the values and merits that have defined us for generations.\u201d Bhutan opened to high-end tourists in 1974 when it received 300 visitors. The number soared to 315,600 in 2019, up 15.1% from a year earlier, raising concerns about mass tourism taking over in the nation.<\/p>\n

Bhutan is a spectacular, unspoilt country steeped in ancient traditions and with a history that is as tall as its Himalayan mountain peaks. It\u2019s a country where mystical Buddhism thrives, archery is the national sport, almost everyone wears national dress, and traffic lights are absent. I visited the Himalayan Kingdom prior to the pandemic and you can read my trip reports of that holiday here:<\/p>\n