Travel And Tourism in Bhutan

Euromonitor International's Travel And Tourism in Bhutan report offers a comprehensive guide to the market at a national level. It looks at travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, tourist attractions and retail travel. It identifies the leading companies and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market, including background information on disposable income, annual leave and holiday taking habits.

Buy online to access strategic market analysis and an interactive statistical database of market size data for travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, travel retail, tourism attractions and health and wellness tourism, tourism inflows and outflows, tourism spending and company and brand shares.

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• Get insight into trends in market performance
• Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
• Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive environment

Product coverage

Car rental; Demand factors; Health & wellness tourism; Tourism flows domestic; Tourism flows inbound; Tourism flows outbound; Tourism receipts and expenditure; Tourist attractions; Transportation; Travel accommodation; Travel retail

Executive summary

“High Value Low Volume” Tourism adopted.....

The government of Bhutan adopted a cautious approach toward the growth of its tourism industry, focussing only on high-end tourism. The government aims to balance tourism with the country’s existing low level of infrastructure. Therefore, the number of tourists has been maintained at a manageable level and this control on numbers is exercised through a policy of government regulated tourist tariffs, and a set of administrative requirements. The government’s desire to minimize the adverse effects of tourism, while ensuring a healthy flow of hard currency, led to the adoption of the principle of “High Value - Low Volume” tourism.

.... through strict pricing policy

Tourist arrivals into Bhutan are controlled by the Government through a pricing policy whereby tourists are required to enter Bhutan only through package tours organized by registered Bhutanese tour operators. The whole itinerary is organized by the tour operator and the price is set by the government. Currently, the minimum daily tariff set by the Department of Tourism for both cultural tours and treks is US$200 for the high season and US$165 for the low season. March/April and October/November are the top tourist seasons as the weather is best for trekking and cultural festivals are taking place in different parts of the country. The tariff structure has ensured that only travellers with high spending power visit Bhutan.

Effort to divert arrivals away from cultural tourism

Local festivals are the prime attractions and arrivals reach their peak during spring and autumn at select places such as Thimpu and Paro. Tourists mainly attend the Paro Tshechu festival, which celebrates Buddhism in Bhutan. Recently, trekking is improving with the tourism department developing more trek routes and encouraging community tourism like the Nabji and Korphu trail. The Tourism Department is also developing winter packages for tourists, in places like Trashigang, Mongar, Trongsa and Zhemgang. Other innovative tourism products that are currently being promoted include nature tourism, community-based tourism, sports tourism (white-water rafting and kayaking), flora and fauna tourism and Buddhist meditation retreats, among others.

Druk Air is the sole operating airline

Druk Air is the sole airline operating to and from Bhutan, and caters to international travellers. There is currently only one international airport, which is Paro airport that operates only during the daytime and in fair weather conditions due to the lack of landing facilities, and its high-altitude location in the mountains. Druk Air links Bhutan with Delhi, Kolkata, and Gaya in India, as well as Bangkok, Yangon, Dhaka, and Kathmandu. There are plans to connect with Mumbai, Chennai in India as well as Singapore.

Tenth Plan holds promise for road transport

In the 10th Plan document for Bhutan, the highest budget allocation has been made for building and maintenance of national highways, roads and development of surface transport. There has been a proposal for new highways, upgrading existing highways and double-laning of major highways. The development of surface transport will include developing resting facilities and other amenities along the national highways, promoting road safety and expanding urban transport facilities.

Table of contents

TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN BHUTAN : MARKET INSIGHT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

“High Value Low Volume” Tourism adopted.....

.... through strict pricing policy

Effort to divert arrivals away from cultural tourism

Druk Air is the sole operating airline

Tenth Plan holds promise for road transport

KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS

Tourism in Bhutan

“High Value Low Volume” Tourism

Pricing policy and Visa restrictions control arrivals into Bhutan

Income inflow through tourism is well directed

Cultural tourism is the main attraction in Bhutan

Indian tourists are given special status in Bhutan

MARKET INDICATORS

Table 1 Length of Domestic Trip: 2002-2007

Table 2 Length of Outbound Departure: 2002-2007

MARKET DATA

Table 3 Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2002-2007

Table 4 Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2002-2007

Table 5 Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007

Table 6 Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2002-2007

Table 7 Forecast Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2007-2012

Table 8 Forecast Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2007-2012

Table 9 Forecast Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012

Table 10 Forecast Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2007-2012

Table 11 Departures by Destination: 2002-2007

Table 12 Departures by Method of Transport: 2002-2007

Table 13 Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007

Table 14 Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2002-2007

Table 15 Forecast Departures by Destination: 2007-2012

Table 16 Forecast Departures by Method of Transport: 2007-2012

Table 17 Forecast Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012

Table 18 Forecast Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2007-2012

Table 19 Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2002-2007

Table 20 Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2002-2007

Table 21 Forecast Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2007-2012

Table 22 Forecast Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2007-2012

Table 23 Tourist Attractions: Value 2002-2007

Table 24 Forecast Tourist Attractions: Value 2007-2012

Table 25 Balance of Tourism Payments: Value 2002-2007

DEFINITIONS

Tourism Parameters

Travel accommodation

Transportation

Car rental

Travel retail

Internet sales

Summary 1 Research Sources

TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION IN BHUTAN

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 26 Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007

Table 27 Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2002-2007

Table 28 Regional Hotel Parameters 2007

Table 29 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Rooms 2005-2007

Table 30 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Beds 2005-2007

Table 31 Travel Accommodation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007

Table 32 Hotel Company Rankings 2005-2007

Table 33 Forecast Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012

Table 34 Forecast Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2007-2012

Table 35 Forecast Travel Accommodation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012

TRANSPORTATION IN BHUTAN

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 36 Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007

Table 37 Transportation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007

Table 38 Airline Company Rankings 2005-2007

Table 39 Forecast Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012

Table 40 Forecast Transportation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012

CAR RENTAL IN BHUTAN

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 41 Car Rental Sales: Value 2002-2007

Table 42 Car Rental Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007

Table 43 Forecast Car Rental Sales: Value 2007-2012

Table 44 Forecast Car Rental Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012

TRAVEL RETAIL IN BHUTAN

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 45 Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2002-2007

Table 46 Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2002-2007

Table 47 Travel Retail Products Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007

Table 48 Travel Retail Products Company Rankings 2005-2007

Table 49 Forecast Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2007-2012

Table 50 Forecast Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2007-2012

Table 51 Forecast Travel Retail Products Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012