Entry for Indian Citizens in Bhutan is not Free Anymore!

Yes! You heard it right. Bhutan has always been a preferred destination for Indian citizens to spend their vacation amidst the nature’s beauty. The topmost reason for its being an idyllic destination is that the entry for Indian citizens was free from decades.

But now, Bhutanese government has launched a new scheme that will end the provision of free entry for Indian tourists into the country. The government in Thimphu has decided to levy a daily fee of INR 1,200 ($17) for “regional tourists” from India, the Maldives and Bangladesh that will be applied from July 2020. These charges are considerably lower than the charges levied upon other foreign tourists, i.e., $65 including a compulsory flat “cover charge” of $250 per day.

This fee is known as a Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) and it is meant to help the government of Bhutan, who are dealing with the burgeoning numbers in the tourist traffic. So, this new tourism policy will aid in regulating this traffic. Decision was passed by the National Assembly on Tuesday under the name of ‘Tourism Levy and Exemption Bill of Bhutan’, 2020. The idea behind this SDF implementation is to offer better facilities to the regional tourists said Bhutan’s Tourism Council Director, Dorji Dhradul.

As Indians usually travel to the more developed western region of Bhutan, the government has decided to drop SDF charges for tourists who visit Bhutan’s eastern region. This will include 11 out of 20 total districts that fall in the east from Trongsa to Trashigang. Please note that children from India, Maldives and Bangladesh under the age of 5 will not be required to pay these charges but those who fall between 6 and 12 years will be required to pay only INR 600.

So, hurry and book your Bhutan Holiday Package with us without paying any SDF till July.