Hygiene and Sanitation

Hygiene and Sanitation

Administrators feel that the people of some remote villages in the east have proper hygiene and sanitation.
Health, Sanitation: Except for Merak and Sakteng, construction of flush toilets for 6,786 households in 15 gewogs of Trashigang has been scrapped from the 10th Plan. Continue reading ‘Hygiene and Sanitation’

Of Ngultrums and dollars

Dollar and ngultrum

This may not be the right time to order the SUV you always dreamt of owning or buy an expensive electronic gadget for your wife.

They could cost you a lot more than they normally would. Continue reading ‘Of Ngultrums and dollars’

Volcano ash costs tourism cash

22 April, 2010 – Eighty-two tourists from Europe have so far cancelled their trip to Bhutan after Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull (pronounced Eye-a-fyat-la-jo-kutl) volcano erupted last Wednesday, disrupting air traffic and forcing thousands of airlines to cancel their flights, according to tourism council of Bhutan (TCB) officials.

The volcano that had been dormant for nearly two centuries erupted on April 14, filling the European airspace with ash, which flight safety experts said could severely damage jet engines. The cancelled trips of the 82 tourists are from April 18 until May 6, with stays in Bhutan ranging from five to 15 days. “The payment of all these 82 tourists have been made,” said TCB’s visa officer Sangay Lhaden. “Right now, the whole amount of USD 180 per tourist is with us and we’ll be refunding their payments.”

The months of March, April and May bring in more than 6,000 tourists into the country every year. Last year, 8,190 tourists flew into Bhutan in these three months. One of the tour operators, Needup Wangdi of All Bhutan Connection, said that 19 tourists, 17 from Poland and two from Germany, who were scheduled to arrive for their six-day trip to Bhutan, cancelled their trip on April 19. “Their flights were cancelled when they were about to fly to Delhi,” Needup Wangdi said. “We’ve spent USD 9,758 alone on tickets and we’re not sure if it would be refunded.”

Of the USD 200 daily tariff, 10 percent is usually paid as commission to the overseas agent. Sangay Lhaden, however, said that some tourists might want to visit later. Druk executive travel’s owner, Kinley Namgay, said that 13 tourists from Netherlands had cancelled their trip on April 17. “We’ve spent about USD 22,000 including the airfares,” Kinley Namgay said.

He said the Drukair tickets for this group were bought through block purchase, which has a very rigid booking and cancellation policy with no refunds. “We’ve requested Drukair, but they’ve indicated that they’ll go as per the policy,” Kinley Namgay said, adding that payment for hotel bookings, transportation and guides also have to be taken care of.

Some of the travel agents, whose tourists have cancelled their trip to Bhutan, are Snow White tours with 16 cancellations, Rainbow tours and treks had seven and Luxury division and Bhutan Dorji Holidays with six each. According to royal monetary authority’s 2008-2009 annual report, Europeans and North Americans largely dominate Bhutan’s tourism market. The two blocs accounted for 71 percent of all visitors to Bhutan in 2008. With almost 75 percent of flight to and from Europe resuming yesterday, Bhutanese tour operators are hoping that there will fewer cancellations in the coming days. Iceland, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, is famous for its hot springs, geysers and active volcanoes.
Source: Kuensel By Sonam Pelden

Bhutan Tourism and tariff

17 April, 2010: Can Bhutan bring in more tourists at a higher tariff? According to a majority of tour operators in the country that today number around 300 it may not be possible. In other words, it’s going to be difficult to meet the government’s target of bringing in 100,000 dollar paying tourists by 2013, when the official tariff goes up from USD 200 to USD 250 a day. Continue reading ‘Bhutan Tourism and tariff’

Drukair tickets on website

8 April, 2010 – Drukair passengers can now buy tickets using the airline’s website. The national airline is launching its internet booking system for passengers in Thimphu today. The service comes three months after it began offering tickets online, but only to travel agencies. Continue reading ‘Drukair tickets on website’

Lyonchhen meets Japanese PM

April 17, 2010: Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley and Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Yukio Hatoyama discussed strengthening Japan-Bhutan friendship through cultural exchanges and people to people relations when they met at the latter’s official residence in Tokyo yesterday. Continue reading ‘Lyonchhen meets Japanese PM’

Gross National Happiness in Japan

16 April 2010: Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thin¬ley’s talk on GNH at the 23rd national seminar of the Japa¬nese Association of Corpo¬rate Executives (JACE) at the Kochi Culture Centre in Japan yesterday set an attendance record of a sort. More than 900 people, in¬cluding 788 participants from outside Kochi representing 43 associations from all over Ja¬pan, attended the talk. Continue reading ‘Gross National Happiness in Japan’

Gross National happiness sells big in Japan

April 16, 2010: Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley spoke to a packed house of Japanese corporate executives at the 23rd national seminar of the Japanese Association of Corporate Executives (JACE) at the Kochi Culture Centre today. The prime minister’s talk on Gross National Happiness (GNH), especially requested for by the organizers, set an attendance record of sorts with more than 900 people attending, including 788 participants from outside Continue reading ‘Gross National happiness sells big in Japan’

Gross National Happiness in Japan

16 April, 2010 – More than 900 Japanese corporate executives attended Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley’s talk on Gross National Happiness (GNH), especially requested by the organisers, at the 23rd national seminar of the Japanese association of corporate executives (JACE) at the Kochi culture centre yesterday. Continue reading ‘Gross National Happiness in Japan’

Second thoughts about tariff revision

16 April, 2010 – They wanted McKinsey’s tariff liberalisation proposal removed, they got it. They sought more destinations within the country open to entertain their guests, the government gave assent. Then came the much delayed tariff revision, which some tour operators had proposed years ago, which the government recently granted. But, a month after the decision to raise the tariff to USD 250 a tourist a day from USD 200, a decision over which Bhutanese tour operators were fine with, now appears like a snare they overlooked. With the government planning to bring in 100,000 tourists into the country by 2013, a pledge that the tourism council of Bhutan entered with the government, local tour operators are doubtful about meeting that target, which they were initially optimistic about. Association of Bhutanese tour operators (ABTO) officials, in earlier interviews, had projected tourist arrivals at 91,793 by 2013 for the same USD 200 tariff. Today, that figure sounds ambitious. ABTO general secretary Sonam Dorji explained that keeping the tariff at the existing USD 200 would have been ideal to meet that target. He said the decision to revise the tariff, which none of the tour operators disapproved of during their meeting with the prime minister on February to discuss the tariff liberalisation issue, was already reached. “We agreed with the decision then and are grumbling now,” he said. “It’s awkward to go back on what we’d agreed.” A tour operator said they were all so happy to get the tariff liberalisation issue out of the way, that they forgot about the implications of the hike. Yangphel adventure travel managing director Karma Lotey said that, although he agreed to a tariff increase, he had suggested during the meeting the need to maintain the same rate at USD 200 a day for tourists during the lean periods. Continue reading ‘Second thoughts about tariff revision’

Hygiene and Sanitation

Of Ngultrums and dollars

Volcano ash costs tourism cash

Bhutan Tourism and tariff

Drukair tickets on website

Lyonchhen meets Japanese PM

Gross National Happiness in Japan

Gross National happiness sells big in Japan

Gross National Happiness in Japan

Second thoughts about tariff revision

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