Bhutan Covid

10 min readFeb 9, 2022

Bhutan has shown to be a true success story in regard to Bhutan Covid, with the Indian subcontinent’s lowest reported occurrences of Coronavirus. The Kingdom of 750,000 people shares porous borders with India and China, and it has long been a popular vacation destination for Indian and Chinese tourists looking to get away from their congested homelands. A visit to Bhutan by taking some Bhutan trekking tour or luxury package would be a good break.

The tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan was totally shut down by the Covid-19 outbreak, which dealt a catastrophic blow to a place that relied on tourism. In the aftermath of such a loss, Bhutan’s Tourism Council is taking advantage of the chance to improve tourism efficiency by simplifying admission procedures. The real Bhutanese character shone through as Bhutanese people helped out by providing crops and food to those in need, while hotels offered up their premises as quarantine facilities.

Tourists must book through a local tour operator and pay in advance, which makes planning difficult. Adding online booking alternatives and credit cards, rather than the cumbersome wire transfers that were commonly utilized in the past, will make it easier in the future.

Bhutan-Happiness is a place

Bhutan is considered safer and more flexible than other tourism locations across the world. This is owing to King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s long-standing tourist strategy of “high value, low volume.” Brand Bhutan has traditionally emphasized its status as an ‘elite destination.’ This idea is now expected to aid in the economy’s recovery while also ensuring the safety and security of tourists.

With the motto “happiness is a place,” the Tourism Ministry has been developing many initiatives to promote Bhutan as a destination for well-being and serenity, despite the current situation. The country gives its natural beauty, distinct culture, and ideal weather to rest after a year of turbulence with this new-normal format. With Gross National Happiness, Bhutan is also known as Menjong, the Land of Medicinal Herbs.

Impact of Pandemic on Bhutan’s Tourism Sector

The most vulnerable populations, such as cottage and small businesses, the self-employed, persons with inadequate coping skills, women, and youth, must be identified and protected as soon as possible. Simultaneously, they must assist in the creation of survival mechanisms for firms that employ tens of thousands of Bhutanese. Urgent fiscal and monetary measures will be required to safeguard employment, support the self-employed, support enterprises’ liquidity and operations, and aid expedites future recovery.

The Damage

The small landlocked Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan’s economy has been seriously harmed by the Covid-19 outbreak, which has resulted in the shutdown of one of the country’s key commerce and transportation routes. The country has shown a true success story in limiting the virus early on, with the lowest number of recorded cases in the subcontinent, economic growth has slowed from 3.8 percent in FY 2018–19 to 1.5 percent in FY 2019–20. (2019–20).

There has also been a significant and critical fall in the import and export pattern, producing major commercial disruptions. On August 11, when the first countrywide lockdown was implemented, two key sectors were the worst damaged. The first was the tourism business, which included related transportation services, as visitor arrivals had dwindled by this point. The second was linked to all industries that required tight cooperation with India, which is one of the country’s most important trading partners and export customers.

Measures for Damage Control

Capitalizing the GNP Asset

Before the Covid-19 epidemic, Bhutan had one of the fastest-growing economies in the region. The country’s budget deficit, at 6.18 percent, is one of the highest in recent years, owing to socio-economic issues and business tax benefits. Bhutan is considered safer and more flexible than other tourism locations across the world. This is owing to King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck’s long-standing tourist strategy of “high value, low volume.” Brand Bhutan has traditionally emphasized its status as an ‘elite destination.’ This idea is now expected to aid in the economy’s recovery while also ensuring the safety and security of tourists.

India — The Travel Corridor

The ministry is also focusing on improving its online travel portals, which provide travelers with accurate information as well as advice on health measures. In addition, quarantine techniques and online health apps and rapid-test kits and contact-tracing systems are being implemented. In addition, steps are being done to educate hoteliers and tour guides about the usual safeguards.

Another major milestone has been the introduction of ‘bubble tourism,’ which has been made possible through a collaboration with India. ‘Travel Corridors’ or ‘Green Lanes’ are other names. Both countries profit financially from the scheme. As a result, this agreement would be beneficial to the eastern half of India, which is located on the other side of Bhutan, with the most important border crossings being Jaigaon and Phuentsholing.

The immediate strategies for uplifting the tourism sector are:

→ Improving the institutional coordination and program synergies.

→ Prioritizing and targeting households/individuals with vulnerable family members in order to provide relief and alternative work options.

→ Encouraging reskilling and upgrading within the tourist industry.

→ Making food security, green investments, and people returning to rural areas/farms win-win situations.

→ Gender-sensitive employment and re-skilling initiatives should be developed.

→ Supporting the liquidity and operations of tourism-related enterprises that have been impacted.

→ Creating public-private partnerships and other collaborations for infrastructure skilling, construction, and upgrades.

→ Incorporating social and environmental sustainability into the Bhutanese economy, focusing on improving the resilience of all sectors, especially tourism.

→ Taking innovative legislative measures to relieve the severe debt load faced by tourist industry owners while collaborating with the financial sector to prevent jeopardizing the sector’s survival.

→Building solid, shock-responsible social safety nets and fostering a saving culture.

→ Improving national study of the social effect on vulnerable groups by developing tools that enable continuous real-time tracking of people’s socio-economic condition and multidimensional vulnerabilities.

Present Scenario of Bhutan’s Economy in Pandemic

Bhutan’s economy is expected to decrease by 3.4 percent this fiscal year (FY) 2021, compared to 0.9 percent in FY2020, due to strict pandemic containment efforts, including two long-term national lockdowns that hampered economic activity across sectors. With robust governmental responses to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, including the country’s vaccination program, economic growth is predicted to rebound to 3.7 percent in FY2022 modestly. For the supply chain disruption and panic buying, inflation is predicted to climb from 3.0 percent in FY2020 to 6.4 percent in FY2021. Inflation is predicted to fall to 5.3 percent in FY2022, as prices in India are likely to fall and domestic conditions improve.

As imports decline in response to weakening domestic demand, the current account deficit will narrow to 7.7% of GDP in FY2021. These include giving financial institutions more flexibility in how they restructure loans and capital strengthening through efforts to enhance credit underwriting at both banks and nonbank financial institutions (NBFIs) and the implementation of NBFI credit exposure stress testing.

Tourism Reforms Post Bhutan Covid 19

Implementing Sustaining Development Fee

The regional visitors’ sustainable development fee (SDF) was a signature policy introduced to handle the current surge of regional tourists. While the regulation was enacted, there were conflicting feelings about it, with one of the main complaints being the lack of clarity in its implementation. The indefinite halt of tourism has given the opportunity to build a solid and consistent set of standards.

Addition in Entry Points

Two new entry points with integrated check-post facilities are being set up at Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar to prepare for the reopening of the sector and to facilitate a regionally balanced spread of tourists across the country, especially in the southern foothills with favorable weather conditions in winter.

Analyzing Budget Hotels in Bhutan

The SDF, which was just authorized, requires area visitors to stay in licensed hotels. The TCB is undertaking a countrywide survey of presently uncertified hotels in order to determine if they should be certified. The poll is being conducted by displaced tour guides, hotel workers, and tour operations staff.

Technical Integration

A priority is to use digital technology in visa applications, reservations, and payment. The tourist industry is dependent on more than five systems, including the Tashel Visa Online and costing system, which are now segregated, resulting in loopholes.

The activity suggests integrating these platforms to make operations like tour money transfers and refunds easier.

Bhutan Ready to Wave Warm Welcome to Tourists

Bhutan’s decision to open its borders to tourists is, of course, contingent on positive global developments. Bhutan has been fortunate so far. Bhutan has weathered the storm successfully, with only a few COVID-19 cases, all imported and no local transmission. An obvious outcome of a successful national endeavor led by His Majesty The King and supported by the Bhutanese. Bhutan is expected to have an easier time resuming tourism than other tourist destinations.

How safe is it to visit Bhutan now?

We believe in sustainable tourism. All visits in Bhutan are guided, which is especially important now that quarantine is becoming the standard. In addition, we may need to implement some of the World Health Organization’s and our own Ministry of Health’s recommendations. Rapid test kits and contact tracing apps may prove to be a reasonably simple method to adapt to the demands of a new reality. A contact tracing app is now being used.

Check out the best time to visit Bhutan

Bhutan Covid 19 Present Scenario

Bhutan has 21 COVID-19 cases to date, all of which are imported, indicating that there has been no local community spread. Five of the twenty-one patients have already recovered, and we are grateful that no lives have been lost thus far.

Visit Bhutan — The Abode of Peace

Bhutan has become the destination for experienced travelers looking for pure landscape and unique culture while avoiding the throngs that plague other locations over the previous five decades. Bhutan aims to resume its tourism by bringing the travel world to Bhutan as a wellness and well-being destination, as well-being will be the overriding theme of the so-called new normal post-COVID-19.

Bhutan Has Something for Everyone

Bhutan can be viewed from a personal as well as a global standpoint. On a personal level, the takeaway is, as expected, personal. Some people gain new inspiration and feel renewed after spending time in Bhutanese environment, which includes being surrounded by breathtaking mountains, traveling scenic valleys with meandering rivers, and meeting and conversing with pleasant Bhutanese people. While doing so, take in the fresh mountain air. Others are inspired by Bhutan’s social fabric, which is still characterized by strong familial ties and a strong feeling of community.

Not only because of the monasteries dotting the landscape at every turn, the scent of incense in the air but also because of the monks and nuns reciting their mantras. It’s something absolutely ethereal, lasting from the minute the plane lands in the Paro Valley until they say their final goodbyes to their guide and driver at the end of a voyage unlike any other.

Wrapping Up

Bhutan has taken a proactive approach to adopt COVID-19 containment measures, including tourism restrictions, which have been in place since March 2020. While they have effectively contained the situation, supply-side disruptions in the construction and industrial sectors have been exacerbated by a drop in demand and, in some cases, a full halt in industries like tourism. Such choices between preventative measures and economic activity were unavoidable given the limited resources and capabilities to deal with a full-blown pandemic amidst the Bhutan Covid 19 pandemic. The rapid and urgent initiatives, like the social assistance payments granted to the most afflicted individuals, have been critical in coping with the epidemic. For the time being, further monetary and fiscal measures, such as interest exemptions, have helped enterprises to remain afloat.