Two Bhutanese men sit beside the Punakha river
© AFP/File Deshakalyan Chowdhury

THIMPHU (AFP) - The small and stunning mountainous nation first welcomed tourists in 1974 and has since promoted a policy of "high value" tourism, permitting few outsiders and keeping costs high in order to preserve its culture and ecology.

Authorities plan to boost the number of tourists four-fold to 100,000 over the next five years, but officials say they have no plans to reduce costs for visiting the nation and risk an influx of low-budget backpackers.

"We'd like to remain a unique destination. We're not going to introduce bungee jumping or anything that's not traditional to cater to tourists," said Lhatu Wangchuk, the tourism department's director general.

"Our festivals will go on whether we have tourists or not. Everything we do has to be authentic to our culture," Wangchuk said.

Known for its lush valleys, unspoilt scenery, ornate monasteries and colourful folk culture, landlocked Bhutan has for centuries relished its isolation from the outside world and has only opened up gradually.

Foreign tourists take photographs after alighting from a Druk Air plane at Paro airport
© AFP/File Deshakalyan Chowdhury

Until the 1960s, there were no roads, telephones or even currency, and the country only abolished its system of absolute monarchy last month when it held its first multi-party elections.

Last year, just 21,000 tourists visited the deeply traditional country, generating nearly 30 million dollars in revenue.

Holidaymakers in Bhutan -- mainly Western families and middle-aged couples -- must pay at least 200 dollars per day and make all travel arrangements through private tour operators certified by the government.

But now tourism has been identified as a crucial sector to boost incomes and provide jobs amid growing urbanisation in the country of 670,000 people.

Tourists shop at traditional textile market in Thimphu
© AFP/File John Macdougall

Bhutan aims to meet the challenge while at the same time preserving its unique cultural identity, heritage and ecology through tight rules for industrialisation, architecture and a stress on keeping its national dress.

"We don't want dollars at the cost of our values," Waghchuk said, adding the country would stick by its policy of prioritising "gross national happiness" over economic growth.

The brainchild of Bhutan's former king, the GNP philosophy -- which plays on the pun with gross national product that is the driving force of most modern nations -- stresses cultural and environmental preservation while deciding on any development projects.

"If we want to promote village tourism, we discuss how it will bring in money but we also have to be mindful of the impact it would have on young children in villages," the tourism chief said.

To boost tourism, authorities are looking at improving roads and providing at least one more airport, apart from promoting fewer visited destinations. Private contractors are already building new hotels to meet the expected higher demand.

Bhutanese hillside homes are seen from a Druk Air plane above Paro
© AFP/File Deshakalyan Chowdhury

"We need to improve services in hotels and provide more rooms to meet growing numbers," said Dilu Giri, senior manager at the private Druk hotel, which is building a new five-star hotel in Thimphu.

Tour operators also say they want an increase in tariffs which have remained unchanged since the mid-70s.

"Now that the value of the dollar has gone down, we need to revise the rates," said Karma Tshiteem, head of the country's Gross National Happiness Commission.

Higher tourist rates will ensure "only decent people, and not junkies and hippies visit our country," said one tour operator.

At first, the government did not want tourists to flood the country, "but now we need more tourists for jobs," she added.

With farming losing its appeal in the countryside and limited jobs in cities, many Bhutanese see tourism as the only way to improve their prospects.

"There are so many graduates here who don't have proper jobs. We need more training courses for tourist guides," said Phuntsho Lhachok, 30, who is struggling to set up a tourism business.

"Even five more tourists each year can mean make-or-break for my business."

©AFP