Tickets
Are you a tourism entrepreneur, sustainability professional, destination manager, tourism developer, or part of a capacity-building organization? Then this forum is made for you — don’t miss out!
USD $250
/ per person
To book your ticket, you need:
- 1. Valid Passport
- 2. Arrival and Departure dates
- 3. VISA
- SDF waivers for 5 Nights (worth USD 500)
- Entry fee for the 3 day conference (meals/tea/coffee included)
- Session with keynote speakers/renowned speakers
- Field visit on the 3rd day (transport/accomodation/meals included)
- Transportation to the venue
- Flight Tickets
- Hotel bookings
VISA DETAILS
There are a few simple steps to follow when you apply for your visa:
- Fill up the form (CLICK HERE)
- A digital copy of a valid passport
- A recent digital passport photo
- Arrival and departure dates
- Payment details (we recommend that you inform your bank that you will be making an international payment transfer to Bhutan to avoid any payment delays or issues)
- Sign our Pledge of Friendship, thus committing to protecting, preserving and positively contributing to our kingdom
- Mail the form to info@regenerativebhutanforum.com
- If you have any questions, please contact our host team .
Bhutan first publicly announced its plan to become carbon neutral at COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. This commitment was reaffirmed in its second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), where Bhutan adopted a net-zero emissions target by 2050. Bhutan was and is carbon neutral in practice, absorbing more carbon dioxide than it emits through its extensive forests. But anthropomorphic emissions continue to rise and could threaten the country’s carbon neutral status.
Minimising emissions associated with the tourism sector is therefore a key step towards long-term carbon neutrality, and this was recognised by ABTO as far back as 2011.
In 2012, with a little over 100,000 tourists ABTO calculated the CO2 footprint of 20 tourism products. The approach was ambitious for the time as it included international airflights (only from last port of call), accommodation, restaurants, tour operators, handicrafts and associated retail shops. Hard data was difficult to come by and research into emission factors was emergent. Values for energy use, water use and solid waste generation often had to be estimated, so the results contained inaccuracies, but it was a great baseline for sector performance and identifying potential opportunities for improvement.
Table 1: Energy Benchmarking Indicators for Bhutan Tourism Sector, 2012
| Category | Carbon* Benchmarking Indicators Typical Value [50th percentile] | Unit | Sample size, N | Total entities in Bhutan, 2012 | % sampled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-rated Hotels | 1.92 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 36 | Master list not available | - |
| 1 and 2 star Hotels | 2.57 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 13 | [1star = 2 and 2star = 11] | 21% |
| 3 star Hotels | 3.17 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 34 | 45 | 76% |
| 4 star Hotels | 1.55 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 5 star Hotels | 29.3 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 8 | 9 | 89% |
| Restaurants | 1.29 | kgCO2eq/cover | 38 | 52 | 73% |
| Tour Operators | 265 | kgCO2eq/customer/day | 66 | 318 | 21% |
| Handicrafts & Artisans | 0.003 | kgCO2eq/employee/month | 48 | 280 | 17% |
| Tourist Shops/Suppliers | 104 | kgCO2eq/employee/month | 36 | Master list not available | - |
*includes Scope 1 & Scope 2 GHG emissions & calculated taking average for both tourism high season & low season.
Source: baseline survey report, Megaskills research, ABTO, HRAB and GAB
Note: ‘national’ benchmarks’ established for Bhutan should not be considered as ‘static’ or ‘fixed’ in nature because benchmarking is a ‘continuous’ process requiring continuous monitoring and revision of targets/goals.
A key finding was the very low emissions associated with the handicraft sector, which also had strong social benefits. Promotion of the handicraft sector had always been an important Government policy, but now it took on extra measure through initiatives like Voluntary Artists’ Studio of Bhutan (VAST) and Agency for Promotion of Indigenous Crafts (APIC) – 75 indigenous handicraft shops, which are all locale sourced.
Emissions from hotels appeared inconsistent, which was probably due to the small data set and severe limitations in data collection/consistency. However, carbon management was on the agenda for the Bhutanese tourism sector.
Tourism continued to grow and by 2015 international visitor arrivals had reached 155,000. Along with a rapidly expanding tourism sector came large investments in hotels and tourism infrastructure. ABTO realised that how the locations and activities tourists were coming to experience were managed was a possible way to both promote Bhutan as a green destination and reduce emissions.
So, ABTO established a range of assessment criteria, including carbon emissions, that would form the basis of Low Carbon Tours development. These nine criteria focused on the types of tourism product components that could create positive social and environmental impacts, as well as reduce carbon emissions:
- Low Carbon Activities e.g. horse riding, homestays with local communities etc.
- Low Carbon Accommodation e.g. homestays & guesthouses (licensed by TCB). Tourist accommodation in Bhutan has a smaller carbon footprint than most other destinations because more than 99.9% of the national grid electricity is generated from hydropower (a renewable from of energy) and less than 0.1% from fossil fuels.
- Local Cuisine & Produce (e.g. vegetables, fruit). Local means less fuel is used to transport products hence less GHG emissions. Also, helps local communities to benefit from tourism and helping the money spent to stay inside the destination rather than leaking out to multi nationals.
- Benefits Local Community through employment, use of local homestays & guest houses and leasing of community land.
- Low Carbon Tourism Practices e.g. protecting natural resources like forests & other vegetation during tour helps to keep GHG emissions low. Forests & other vegetation are carbon sinks since they remove CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
- Adopting Low Carbon Guidelines & Codes of Practice including:
- NEC’s: Environmental Code of Practice (ECOP) for Trekking
- NEC’s: ECOP for Bird watching
- NECs’: ECOP for River Running
- NEC’s: ECOP for Campsites
- GAB’s Code of Conduct for Tour Guides
- Waste Management Guidelines based around the 3Rs: Reduce, Re-use & Recycle
- Low Carbon Transport. e.g. Tour Operators adopting Low Carbon Guidelines for Vehicle Fleet including ‘Smarter Driving’ techniques.
- Carbon Footprint of the tour/holiday is measured.
- Endorsed as Low Carbon by Bhutan Low Carbon Project implemented by ABTO.
Using the above criteria, ABTO formulated 20 Low Carbon Tours that included a range of durations. However, many tour operators chose to not adopt all tours as only a handful were considered highly attractive to high-yield source markets.
Table 2: The 20 Low Carbon Tours developed by the Bhutan Low Carbon Tourism Project
| Tour Package | Nights | Land Transport | 5-star Hotel | Total per tourist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canter and Gallop on Horses in the Blessed Valley, Bumthang | 8 | 153 | 235 | 388 |
| Trek the Path of the Thunder Dragon | 7 | 24 | 88 plus camping | 112 |
| West to East on Low Carbon Wheels: Mountain Biking Holiday | 7 | 25 | 205 | 230 |
| Tour of a Lifetime - Tour of the Dragon | 7 | 67 | 205 | 272 |
| A Green Getaway Alcove Wangdue Ecolodge | 7 | 58 | 14 | 72 |
| Ecolodges in the Royal Manas National Park | 15 | 184 | 166 | 350 |
| Ecoadventures in the Royal Botanical Park | 6 | 25 | 176 | 201 |
| Natural Botanical Marvel Rhododendrons! | 7 | 107 | 205 | 312 |
| Experience Bhutan on a Walking Excursion! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Run in Bhutan for Low Carbon Tourism! (Bhutan International Marathon) | 7 | 53 | 205 | 258 |
| Land Least Trekked – Zhemgang! | 10 | 245 | 129 | 374 |
| Harmony in Conservation Phobjikha Valley | 8 | 83 | 235 | 318 |
| GNH Travel – a Touch of Bhutan’s Happiness Formula | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Weave Your Path in Bhutan – Textile Trip | 15 | 255 | 439 | 694 |
| Year Long Tributes to Guru Padmasambhava – Tsechus! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Trongsa Special – the Regal Heritage! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Living Fortresses from the Ancient! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Eastward to Drametse Source of the Dance of Drums! | 10 | 406 | 293 | 699 |
| Culinary Adventure in Bhutan | 15 | 227 | 439 | 666 |
| Wellness Treats to Spiritual Awakening! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
Source: Low Carbon Tourism Project, Bhutan: ‘20’ Low Carbon Tours, Recommendations & Carbon Footprint Calculation, Megaskills Research Limited UK, 2015
Bhutan has maintained an average trip duration of 7 days since tourism first began in the 1970s, along with higher volumes at festivals and in the west of the country, with easter areas less visited. The new Low Carbon Tours attempted to redress this imbalance but it was clear that adoption of the Low Carbon Tours by both operators and tourists remained low.
The mixed success of the Low Carbon products revealed that commercial demands were playing a critical role in the promotion of products to key source markets. Many international operators had somewhat fixed ideas about what could be appealing to their clients, and Bhutan operators were not in strong bargaining positions to influence those opinions.
By 2019, Inbound tourism had grown to 315,599 with significant increases in new hotels and vehicles investment, and accompanying negative impacts. Roadside rubbish was obvious, congestion commonplace and a cause of access-stress for locals. The sudden and devastating rise of Covid decimated the Bhutanese tourism industry but also provided an opportunity to rethink objectives and approach.
The Government of Bhutan did not want to diverge from the enduring goal of HIGH VALUE, LOW VOLUME tourism. Therefore, an increase in the Sustainable Development Fee was introduced in 2022, along with reduced regulation of visitor arrivals, who no longer required a tour operator to organise their trip. These changes had a profound effect on established entrepreneurs who now had to rethink their marketing and product offers as pricing and business relationships strained. To better understand the potential impact of these changes, ABTO undertook a market assessment of international and regional visitors – what was motivating them to come to Bhutan and were their expectations being met?
The tourism assessment concluded the following:
- As a ‘bucket list’ destination Bhutan has to enhance experience curation through improved quality and sensitive narrative development.
- Bhutan’s source markets are largely price insensitive due to older demographics and specific interest groups, but quality must be delivered consistently.
- To reduce negative impacts, enhance livelihoods and increase market appeal, a new model for designing sustainable experiences was recommended in conjunction with sustainability related standards and programs for tour operators, hotels and throughout the supply chain.
The majority (consistently over 80%) of international visitors remain in the Western Bhutan regions of Paro, Punkaha and Thimpu, so ABTO resolved to apply their new model to these areas first.
To begin, 16 Permanent Products were assessed using a specific location-based approach to identify strengths and weaknesses. Building on insights from previous projects, ABTO considered all aspects of tourism asset management from local authorities, communities, suppliers and businesses directly engaged with tourism, including airlines, accommodation, transportation, restaurants, waste management and human-powered activities.
Table 3: ABTO 16 Permanent Products, 2024
| Permanent Product | Impact Management Initiative | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Thimpu Tshechu | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Northern City Centre - Dzong / Textile Museum / Folk Heritage Museum / Zorig Chusum / Changangka Lhakhang | 5km walking tour taking in major sights; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Buddha Dordenma Statue and Kuensel Phodrang | 12km walking tour taking in all sights; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Druk Path Trek and Phajoding Monastery | EV transport to and from trail; Waste collection system | THIMPU |
| Chari and Tango Monasteries | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Paro Tshechu | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Paro Dzong / City Centre / Museum | 5km walking tour from city to dzong to Museum and back; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Taktsang Lhakang | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Drugkyel Dzong | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Chelela and Kila Goenpa | 5km walk from Chele La to Kila Goenpa plus 5km downhill back to main road, total = 10km; EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection system | PARO |
| Paro Airport | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Haa Homestays | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Punakha Domchhen | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
| Punakha Dzong | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
| Dochula Pass | Half and Full-day walking trail Punakha-Semtokha via Dochu La; EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
| Chhimi Lakhang | 2km walking trail; EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
Source: Bhutan: Tourism Market Assessment, ABTO, 2022.
These products were then matched to international source market preferences and impact hot spots identified with relevant reduction and mitigation actions. An ABTO Survey conducted in 2022 of domestic and international tur operators raised the question of how to improve alignment between operational priorities:
Table 4: Which of the following elements do you consider relevant to improve Bhutan as sustainable destination?
| Bhutan Inbound Operators | International Outbound Operators | |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Holiday Packages | 1st | 1st |
| Better trainings for guides on sustainability principles | 2nd | Equal 4th |
| Electric vehicle transport | 3rd | Not rated |
| Less plastic waste in destinations | 4th | 6th |
| Offer alternative non-mainstream destinations | Equal 5th | 12th |
| More sustainable accommodations | Equal 5th | 11th |
| Customer communication messages on relevant sustainability matters in the destination | Equal 5th | 7th |
| Less plastic water bottles | 8th | Equal 2nd |
| More waste recycling opportunities | 12th | Equal 2nd |
| More responsible visits to local communities | 9th | Equal 4th |
Source: Bhutan: Tourism Market Assessment, ABTO, 2022.
The market assessment concluded that the importance of sustainability to the international and Bhutanese travel sector was ‘foundational’ and should be the basis for reaching towards a regenerative system. In particular, the following issues were identified:
- There is strong recognition of the importance of sustainability among international and domestic clients and operators.
- International operators are more inclined to believe that their local partners require support and assistance to more effectively engage with sustainability initiatives.
- There is a significant demand to develop sustainable tours for tour operators and to assist in their communication.
- Tour operators are not working closely enough together nor with stakeholders to improve sustainability in products and packages.
- The tourism industry in Bhutan needs to collaborate and cooperate to develop improve sustainability packages. This needs to be accompanied by trainings for guides, communities, waste management companies and localised supply chain stakeholders.
By the end of 2024, it was the realisation that a systemic approach was required, and when combined with the rise of the regenerative tourism field, this blossomed into a renewed Holistic Approach. In the unique and highly regulated Bhutanese tourism marketplace, ABTO discovered that an operational foundation to tourism management should be the tri-partite of the Bhutan Green Hotel Standard, the Bhutan Tour Operator Standard and the Greenhouse Gas Emission Tool. These standards and tool form the ‘hygiene level’ or industry platform with which stakeholders can interact and have a clear understanding of common objectives. In the highly complex tourism value chain knowledge levels vary but a shared basis for interaction needs to be established and this inclusive approach develops a common narrative. However, there was also a recognition that these tools would represent a steep learning curve for many, so a phased approach was taken:
- Hotels would focus first on daily operational imperatives through compliance with the Bhutan Green Hotel Standards (BGHS).
- Tour operators would focus first on package design to ensure expectation fulfilment through the Bhutan Tour Operator Standards (BTOS).
- Both to be followed be deeper understanding of greenhouse gas emission (GHGe) calculation methodology and simultaneously including the extended value chain, including drivers, guides and suppliers.
For early adopters, a GHGe tool has been developed that has higher accuracy and increased scope than the calculations used in earlier projects. International flights from from last port of call remain, and values for accommodation, land transport, activities, food and beverages, and waste management (not just creation) have all been improved. Based on earlier findings, handicrafts had a very low footprint with a strong positive social impact, so they are not included. Having said that, there is an issue with imported products that needs to be addressed through research and stakeholder consultation. Another area that was deemed overly complicated at first but is slated for roll out, are business operation emissions. As most companies are very small (less than 10 staff) and power use is 100% hydroelectricity, actual emissions from tour arrangements are a higher priority.
Considering hotels and operators engaged with sustainability assessment standards, ABTO then combined the permanent products into desirable tour packages that fit with key source markets and that offer opportunities for customisation (for example, better scoring BGHS locations), as well as more human-powered activities. The revised GHGe calculation tool is then applied by operators. So far ABTO has found that the tool helps to improve awareness and encourage behavioural change through making better, more sustainable choices. There have been many changes to calculating GHGes over the years, so a direct comparison to the 2015 base line is problematic, but we can certainly apply the tool to equivalent products and packages from 2019 when they were first researched.
Table 5: Low Carbon Products in 2019 vs 2025
| Tour Package | Year | Nights | Land Transport | 5-star Hotel twin share | F&B | Activities & Waste | Total per tourist | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Bhutan: Thimpu-Gangtey-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 9 | 666 | 256 | 85 | 23.9 | 479.1 | |
| Classic Bhutan: Thimpu-Gangtey-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 9 | 0 | 127.9 | 20.43 | 34.38 | 182.71 | -62% |
| Druk Path Trek: Paro-Camp-Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 9 | 283.5 | 142 | 84.7 | 46.1 | 339.3 | |
| Druk Path Trek: Paro-Camp-Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 9 | 0 | 60.9 | 16.95 | 47.02 | 124.87 | -63% |
| Discover Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 7 | 375 | 110 | 53.7 | 16.2 | 265.4 | |
| Discover Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 7 | 0 | 99.5 | 15.89 | 26.74 | 142.13 | -46% |
| Heart of the Himalayas: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 5 | 284.4 | 142 | 54.6 | 14.6 | 261.9 | |
| Heart of the Himalayas: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 5 | 0 | 71 | 11.35 | 19.1 | 101.45 | -61% |
| Bhutan In Style: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 7 | 395.25 | 199 | 81 | 21.2 | 378.2 | |
| Bhutan In Style: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 7 | 0 | 99.5 | 15.89 | 26.74 | 142.13 | -62% |
| Perfect Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Haa-Paro | 2019 | 7 | 444.5 | 171 | 48.6 | 16.2 | 323.3 | |
| Perfect Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Haa-Paro | 2025 | 7 | 0 | 99.5 | 15.89 | 26.74 | 142.13 | -56% |
*Note: improvements come from both decreasing emissions (eg use of twin share SUV EVs, minimal route distance) and improved tour design using BGHS high score hotels only (reduced accommodation footprint), local buffet with locally sourced (up to 50km radius) ingredients for at least 40% of foods, at least 1.5 hours of human powered activities each day. Also includes increased values for waste management rather than simply waste generated.
To summarise, SUSTOUR and Government of Bhutan initiatives that have impacted GHGes associated with the tour packages:
1. Transport Electrification: 300 EV taxis and many new SUV EVs used by tour operators. Introduction of EV buses for public transport. Rapid development of EV recharging locations – currently in all major tourist destinations and now expanding through hotel parking stations – 714 EVs are currently registered in the country, with plans to increase this to one station for every 15 EVs by 2030 (source: Bhutan Broadcasting Service quoting the Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, 29 May, 2025).
Map 1: EV Charging Stations in Bhutan
2. Training of Green Supply Networks – working through metropolitan and local administration systems, ABTO connects tourism entrepreneurs (mostly hotels) with local farmers to help them plan demand and supply for the year. Additional benefits include price stability, improving quality and variety, and building a story / narrative for promotions.
3. Sustainable Driving Practices: By mandating a lower speed limit, Bhutan effectively reduces vehicular emissions, contributing to cleaner air and a reduction in noise pollution. This creates a more pleasant and healthy environment for both residents and visitors, preserving the tranquillity and purity that Bhutan is known for.
4. Bhutan Green Hotel Standard (BGHS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all hotel operations.
5. Bhutan Tour Operator Standard (BTOS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all tour operations.
6. Eat Local Campaign – Linked to Green Supply Networks, this awareness program highlights local restaurants, which enriches the tourism experience by fostering authentic cultural exchanges and providing insights into Bhutanese lifestyle and cuisine. It supports local economies, sustains traditional crafts and culinary heritage, and promotes sustainable tourism practices by reducing the carbon footprint associated with international chains.
7. Healthy Tourism – Human-powered activities during tours in Bhutan, such as hiking and biking, directly contribute to sustainable tourism by minimizing carbon emissions and environmental impact. These activities promote health and wellness, offer immersive cultural and natural experiences, and support local economies by engaging with community-based services, embodying Bhutan’s principles of environmental conservation and Gross National Happiness.
8. Integrated Waste Management Plan: system, especially in tourism hotspots (Punakha (Chimi Lhakhang), Thimphu (Phajoding) and Paro (Municipality)) that include comprehensive separation centre, CCTV. Extensive signage and administrative budget.
9. An intuitive and easily accessible GHGe calculation tool for TOs and tourists to assess their footprint and see the impact of greener choices – the full methodology is available at www. NEW TOOL WEBSITE .com
10. The Rise of Regenerative Tourism: Nascent, but rapidly growing use of Farm Resorts and localised supply chains by accommodation and restaurants.
1. Develop social impact assessment system that includes entire value chain – this will require extensive collaborative planning and would complete the foundation to building a regenerative tourism industry.
2. Enhance positive social impacts because the more people benefit the greater the force for change can be. For example, a regulated and certified ‘Made in Bhutan’ mark with shops dedicated to made in Bhutan products, this should also include service and business matching-making forums across the country.
3. Improve GHGe datasets through local research institutes, this will improve emission calculation accuracy. Industry bodies, like ABTO, should identify, monitor and manage hotspots. Additionally, the calculation tool needs to include business operations for hotels and tour operators so that the Department of Tourism can control total industry emissions.
4. Increase green investment incentives for electrification (especially solar) and water purification systems for hotels, EV Carts for popular festivals when there is transport stress and how to manage embedded emissions associated with new builds, which may also include establishing a carbon price.
5. Create a green transition fund for the tourism sector, possibly financed through voluntary offsetting and micro-offsetting schemes. This could also be linked to investment incentives.
6. Be a source of inspiration for regional change by working with national and international bodies like ICIMOD and industry associations Bhutan can drive the alignment of standards, highlight common issues, work together to find solutions and share the vision of regenerative tourism.
7. Regular interaction with regional tourism associations who would have signed MoU with ABTO during the August 2025 “Regenerative Bhutan Forum – the pathway to Regenerative Tourism”.
8. Department of Tourism’s commitment to hold Regenerative Bhutan Forum on a annual basis and also to have repository of reports and data through BGHS, BTOS and GHGe reporting mechanism.
Table 5: Low Carbon Products in 2019 vs 2025
| Tour Package | Nights | Land Transport | 5-star Hotel | Total per tourist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canter and Gallop on Horses in the Blessed Valley, Bumthang | 8 | 153 | 235 | 388 |
| Trek the Path of the Thunder Dragon | 7 | 24 | 88 plus camping | 112 |
| West to East on Low Carbon Wheels: Mountain Biking Holiday | 7 | 25 | 205 | 230 |
| Tour of a Lifetime - Tour of the Dragon | 7 | 67 | 205 | 272 |
| A Green Getaway Alcove Wangdue Ecolodge | 7 | 58 | 14 | 72 |
| Ecolodges in the Royal Manas National Park | 15 | 184 | 166 | 350 |
| Ecoadventures in the Royal Botanical Park | 6 | 25 | 176 | 201 |
| Natural Botanical Marvel Rhododendrons! | 7 | 107 | 205 | 312 |
| Experience Bhutan on a Walking Excursion! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Run in Bhutan for Low Carbon Tourism! (Bhutan International Marathon) | 7 | 53 | 205 | 258 |
| Land Least Trekked – Zhemgang! | 10 | 245 | 129 | 374 |
| Harmony in Conservation Phobjikha Valley | 8 | 83 | 235 | 318 |
| GNH Travel – a Touch of Bhutan’s Happiness Formula | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Weave Your Path in Bhutan – Textile Trip | 15 | 255 | 439 | 694 |
| Year Long Tributes to Guru Padmasambhava – Tsechus! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Trongsa Special – the Regal Heritage! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Living Fortresses from the Ancient! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Eastward to Drametse Source of the Dance of Drums! | 10 | 406 | 293 | 699 |
| Culinary Adventure in Bhutan | 15 | 227 | 439 | 666 |
| Wellness Treats to Spiritual Awakening! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
*Note: improvements come from both decreasing emissions (eg use of twin share SUV EVs, minimal route distance) and improved tour design using BGHS high score hotels only (reduced accommodation footprint), local buffet with locally sourced (up to 50km radius) ingredients for at least 40% of foods, at least 1.5 hours of human powered activities each day. Also includes increased values for waste management rather than simply waste generated.
To summarise, SUSTOUR and Government of Bhutan initiatives that have impacted GHGes associated with the tour packages:
1. Transport Electrification: 300 EV taxis and many new SUV EVs used by tour operators. Introduction of EV buses for public transport. Rapid development of EV recharging locations – currently in all major tourist destinations and now expanding through hotel parking stations – 714 EVs are currently registered in the country, with plans to increase this to one station for every 15 EVs by 2030 (source: Bhutan Broadcasting Service quoting the Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, 29 May, 2025).
Map 1: EV Charging Stations in Bhutan
2. Training of Green Supply Networks – working through metropolitan and local administration systems, ABTO connects tourism entrepreneurs (mostly hotels) with local farmers to help them plan demand and supply for the year. Additional benefits include price stability, improving quality and variety, and building a story / narrative for promotions.
3. Sustainable Driving Practices: By mandating a lower speed limit, Bhutan effectively reduces vehicular emissions, contributing to cleaner air and a reduction in noise pollution. This creates a more pleasant and healthy environment for both residents and visitors, preserving the tranquillity and purity that Bhutan is known for.
4. Bhutan Green Hotel Standard (BGHS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all hotel operations.
5. Bhutan Tour Operator Standard (BTOS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all tour operations.
6. Eat Local Campaign – Linked to Green Supply Networks, this awareness program highlights local restaurants, which enriches the tourism experience by fostering authentic cultural exchanges and providing insights into Bhutanese lifestyle and cuisine. It supports local economies, sustains traditional crafts and culinary heritage, and promotes sustainable tourism practices by reducing the carbon footprint associated with international chains.
7. Healthy Tourism – Human-powered activities during tours in Bhutan, such as hiking and biking, directly contribute to sustainable tourism by minimizing carbon emissions and environmental impact. These activities promote health and wellness, offer immersive cultural and natural experiences, and support local economies by engaging with community-based services, embodying Bhutan’s principles of environmental conservation and Gross National Happiness.
8. Integrated Waste Management Plan: system, especially in tourism hotspots (Punakha (Chimi Lhakhang), Thimphu (Phajoding) and Paro (Municipality)) that include comprehensive separation centre, CCTV. Extensive signage and administrative budget.
9. An intuitive and easily accessible GHGe calculation tool for TOs and tourists to assess their footprint and see the impact of greener choices – the full methodology is available at www. NEW TOOL WEBSITE .com
10. The Rise of Regenerative Tourism: Nascent, but rapidly growing use of Farm Resorts and localised supply chains by accommodation and restaurants.
Download Prospectus
Bhutan first publicly announced its plan to become carbon neutral at COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. This commitment was reaffirmed in its second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), where Bhutan adopted a net-zero emissions target by 2050. Bhutan was and is carbon neutral in practice, absorbing more carbon dioxide than it emits through its extensive forests. But anthropomorphic emissions continue to rise and could threaten the country’s carbon neutral status.
Minimising emissions associated with the tourism sector is therefore a key step towards long-term carbon neutrality, and this was recognised by ABTO as far back as 2011.
In 2012, with a little over 100,000 tourists ABTO calculated the CO2 footprint of 20 tourism products. The approach was ambitious for the time as it included international airflights (only from last port of call), accommodation, restaurants, tour operators, handicrafts and associated retail shops. Hard data was difficult to come by and research into emission factors was emergent. Values for energy use, water use and solid waste generation often had to be estimated, so the results contained inaccuracies, but it was a great baseline for sector performance and identifying potential opportunities for improvement.
Table 1: Energy Benchmarking Indicators for Bhutan Tourism Sector, 2012
| Category | Carbon* Benchmarking Indicators Typical Value [50th percentile] | Unit | Sample size, N | Total entities in Bhutan, 2012 | % sampled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-rated Hotels | 1.92 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 36 | Master list not available | - |
| 1 and 2 star Hotels | 2.57 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 13 | [1star = 2 and 2star = 11] | 21% |
| 3 star Hotels | 3.17 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 34 | 45 | 76% |
| 4 star Hotels | 1.55 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 5 star Hotels | 29.3 | kgCO2eq/guest night | 8 | 9 | 89% |
| Restaurants | 1.29 | kgCO2eq/cover | 38 | 52 | 73% |
| Tour Operators | 265 | kgCO2eq/customer/day | 66 | 318 | 21% |
| Handicrafts & Artisans | 0.003 | kgCO2eq/employee/month | 48 | 280 | 17% |
| Tourist Shops/Suppliers | 104 | kgCO2eq/employee/month | 36 | Master list not available | - |
*includes Scope 1 & Scope 2 GHG emissions & calculated taking average for both tourism high season & low season.
Source: baseline survey report, Megaskills research, ABTO, HRAB and GAB
Note: ‘national’ benchmarks’ established for Bhutan should not be considered as ‘static’ or ‘fixed’ in nature because benchmarking is a ‘continuous’ process requiring continuous monitoring and revision of targets/goals.
A key finding was the very low emissions associated with the handicraft sector, which also had strong social benefits. Promotion of the handicraft sector had always been an important Government policy, but now it took on extra measure through initiatives like Voluntary Artists’ Studio of Bhutan (VAST) and Agency for Promotion of Indigenous Crafts (APIC) – 75 indigenous handicraft shops, which are all locale sourced.
Emissions from hotels appeared inconsistent, which was probably due to the small data set and severe limitations in data collection/consistency. However, carbon management was on the agenda for the Bhutanese tourism sector.
Tourism continued to grow and by 2015 international visitor arrivals had reached 155,000. Along with a rapidly expanding tourism sector came large investments in hotels and tourism infrastructure. ABTO realised that how the locations and activities tourists were coming to experience were managed was a possible way to both promote Bhutan as a green destination and reduce emissions.
So, ABTO established a range of assessment criteria, including carbon emissions, that would form the basis of Low Carbon Tours development. These nine criteria focused on the types of tourism product components that could create positive social and environmental impacts, as well as reduce carbon emissions:
- Low Carbon Activities e.g. horse riding, homestays with local communities etc.
- Low Carbon Accommodation e.g. homestays & guesthouses (licensed by TCB). Tourist accommodation in Bhutan has a smaller carbon footprint than most other destinations because more than 99.9% of the national grid electricity is generated from hydropower (a renewable from of energy) and less than 0.1% from fossil fuels.
- Local Cuisine & Produce (e.g. vegetables, fruit). Local means less fuel is used to transport products hence less GHG emissions. Also, helps local communities to benefit from tourism and helping the money spent to stay inside the destination rather than leaking out to multi nationals.
- Benefits Local Community through employment, use of local homestays & guest houses and leasing of community land.
- Low Carbon Tourism Practices e.g. protecting natural resources like forests & other vegetation during tour helps to keep GHG emissions low. Forests & other vegetation are carbon sinks since they remove CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.
- Adopting Low Carbon Guidelines & Codes of Practice including:
- NEC’s: Environmental Code of Practice (ECOP) for Trekking
- NEC’s: ECOP for Bird watching
- NECs’: ECOP for River Running
- NEC’s: ECOP for Campsites
- GAB’s Code of Conduct for Tour Guides
- Waste Management Guidelines based around the 3Rs: Reduce, Re-use & Recycle
- Low Carbon Transport. e.g. Tour Operators adopting Low Carbon Guidelines for Vehicle Fleet including ‘Smarter Driving’ techniques.
- Carbon Footprint of the tour/holiday is measured.
- Endorsed as Low Carbon by Bhutan Low Carbon Project implemented by ABTO.
Using the above criteria, ABTO formulated 20 Low Carbon Tours that included a range of durations. However, many tour operators chose to not adopt all tours as only a handful were considered highly attractive to high-yield source markets.
Table 2: The 20 Low Carbon Tours developed by the Bhutan Low Carbon Tourism Project
| Tour Package | Nights | Land Transport | 5-star Hotel | Total per tourist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canter and Gallop on Horses in the Blessed Valley, Bumthang | 8 | 153 | 235 | 388 |
| Trek the Path of the Thunder Dragon | 7 | 24 | 88 plus camping | 112 |
| West to East on Low Carbon Wheels: Mountain Biking Holiday | 7 | 25 | 205 | 230 |
| Tour of a Lifetime - Tour of the Dragon | 7 | 67 | 205 | 272 |
| A Green Getaway Alcove Wangdue Ecolodge | 7 | 58 | 14 | 72 |
| Ecolodges in the Royal Manas National Park | 15 | 184 | 166 | 350 |
| Ecoadventures in the Royal Botanical Park | 6 | 25 | 176 | 201 |
| Natural Botanical Marvel Rhododendrons! | 7 | 107 | 205 | 312 |
| Experience Bhutan on a Walking Excursion! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Run in Bhutan for Low Carbon Tourism! (Bhutan International Marathon) | 7 | 53 | 205 | 258 |
| Land Least Trekked – Zhemgang! | 10 | 245 | 129 | 374 |
| Harmony in Conservation Phobjikha Valley | 8 | 83 | 235 | 318 |
| GNH Travel – a Touch of Bhutan’s Happiness Formula | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Weave Your Path in Bhutan – Textile Trip | 15 | 255 | 439 | 694 |
| Year Long Tributes to Guru Padmasambhava – Tsechus! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Trongsa Special – the Regal Heritage! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Living Fortresses from the Ancient! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Eastward to Drametse Source of the Dance of Drums! | 10 | 406 | 293 | 699 |
| Culinary Adventure in Bhutan | 15 | 227 | 439 | 666 |
| Wellness Treats to Spiritual Awakening! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
Source: Low Carbon Tourism Project, Bhutan: ‘20’ Low Carbon Tours, Recommendations & Carbon Footprint Calculation, Megaskills Research Limited UK, 2015
Bhutan has maintained an average trip duration of 7 days since tourism first began in the 1970s, along with higher volumes at festivals and in the west of the country, with easter areas less visited. The new Low Carbon Tours attempted to redress this imbalance but it was clear that adoption of the Low Carbon Tours by both operators and tourists remained low.
The mixed success of the Low Carbon products revealed that commercial demands were playing a critical role in the promotion of products to key source markets. Many international operators had somewhat fixed ideas about what could be appealing to their clients, and Bhutan operators were not in strong bargaining positions to influence those opinions.
By 2019, Inbound tourism had grown to 315,599 with significant increases in new hotels and vehicles investment, and accompanying negative impacts. Roadside rubbish was obvious, congestion commonplace and a cause of access-stress for locals. The sudden and devastating rise of Covid decimated the Bhutanese tourism industry but also provided an opportunity to rethink objectives and approach.
The Government of Bhutan did not want to diverge from the enduring goal of HIGH VALUE, LOW VOLUME tourism. Therefore, an increase in the Sustainable Development Fee was introduced in 2022, along with reduced regulation of visitor arrivals, who no longer required a tour operator to organise their trip. These changes had a profound effect on established entrepreneurs who now had to rethink their marketing and product offers as pricing and business relationships strained. To better understand the potential impact of these changes, ABTO undertook a market assessment of international and regional visitors – what was motivating them to come to Bhutan and were their expectations being met?
The tourism assessment concluded the following:
- As a ‘bucket list’ destination Bhutan has to enhance experience curation through improved quality and sensitive narrative development.
- Bhutan’s source markets are largely price insensitive due to older demographics and specific interest groups, but quality must be delivered consistently.
- To reduce negative impacts, enhance livelihoods and increase market appeal, a new model for designing sustainable experiences was recommended in conjunction with sustainability related standards and programs for tour operators, hotels and throughout the supply chain.
The majority (consistently over 80%) of international visitors remain in the Western Bhutan regions of Paro, Punkaha and Thimpu, so ABTO resolved to apply their new model to these areas first.
To begin, 16 Permanent Products were assessed using a specific location-based approach to identify strengths and weaknesses. Building on insights from previous projects, ABTO considered all aspects of tourism asset management from local authorities, communities, suppliers and businesses directly engaged with tourism, including airlines, accommodation, transportation, restaurants, waste management and human-powered activities.
Table 3: ABTO 16 Permanent Products, 2024
| Permanent Product | Impact Management Initiative | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Thimpu Tshechu | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Northern City Centre - Dzong / Textile Museum / Folk Heritage Museum / Zorig Chusum / Changangka Lhakhang | 5km walking tour taking in major sights; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Buddha Dordenma Statue and Kuensel Phodrang | 12km walking tour taking in all sights; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Druk Path Trek and Phajoding Monastery | EV transport to and from trail; Waste collection system | THIMPU |
| Chari and Tango Monasteries | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | THIMPU |
| Paro Tshechu | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Paro Dzong / City Centre / Museum | 5km walking tour from city to dzong to Museum and back; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Taktsang Lhakang | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Drugkyel Dzong | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Chelela and Kila Goenpa | 5km walk from Chele La to Kila Goenpa plus 5km downhill back to main road, total = 10km; EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection system | PARO |
| Paro Airport | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Haa Homestays | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PARO |
| Punakha Domchhen | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
| Punakha Dzong | EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
| Dochula Pass | Half and Full-day walking trail Punakha-Semtokha via Dochu La; EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
| Chhimi Lakhang | 2km walking trail; EV transport access & recharging; Waste collection and management system | PUNKAKHA |
Source: Bhutan: Tourism Market Assessment, ABTO, 2022.
These products were then matched to international source market preferences and impact hot spots identified with relevant reduction and mitigation actions. An ABTO Survey conducted in 2022 of domestic and international tur operators raised the question of how to improve alignment between operational priorities:
Table 4: Which of the following elements do you consider relevant to improve Bhutan as sustainable destination?
| Bhutan Inbound Operators | International Outbound Operators | |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Holiday Packages | 1st | 1st |
| Better trainings for guides on sustainability principles | 2nd | Equal 4th |
| Electric vehicle transport | 3rd | Not rated |
| Less plastic waste in destinations | 4th | 6th |
| Offer alternative non-mainstream destinations | Equal 5th | 12th |
| More sustainable accommodations | Equal 5th | 11th |
| Customer communication messages on relevant sustainability matters in the destination | Equal 5th | 7th |
| Less plastic water bottles | 8th | Equal 2nd |
| More waste recycling opportunities | 12th | Equal 2nd |
| More responsible visits to local communities | 9th | Equal 4th |
Source: Bhutan: Tourism Market Assessment, ABTO, 2022.
The market assessment concluded that the importance of sustainability to the international and Bhutanese travel sector was ‘foundational’ and should be the basis for reaching towards a regenerative system. In particular, the following issues were identified:
- There is strong recognition of the importance of sustainability among international and domestic clients and operators.
- International operators are more inclined to believe that their local partners require support and assistance to more effectively engage with sustainability initiatives.
- There is a significant demand to develop sustainable tours for tour operators and to assist in their communication.
- Tour operators are not working closely enough together nor with stakeholders to improve sustainability in products and packages.
- The tourism industry in Bhutan needs to collaborate and cooperate to develop improve sustainability packages. This needs to be accompanied by trainings for guides, communities, waste management companies and localised supply chain stakeholders.
By the end of 2024, it was the realisation that a systemic approach was required, and when combined with the rise of the regenerative tourism field, this blossomed into a renewed Holistic Approach. In the unique and highly regulated Bhutanese tourism marketplace, ABTO discovered that an operational foundation to tourism management should be the tri-partite of the Bhutan Green Hotel Standard, the Bhutan Tour Operator Standard and the Greenhouse Gas Emission Tool. These standards and tool form the ‘hygiene level’ or industry platform with which stakeholders can interact and have a clear understanding of common objectives. In the highly complex tourism value chain knowledge levels vary but a shared basis for interaction needs to be established and this inclusive approach develops a common narrative. However, there was also a recognition that these tools would represent a steep learning curve for many, so a phased approach was taken:
- Hotels would focus first on daily operational imperatives through compliance with the Bhutan Green Hotel Standards (BGHS).
- Tour operators would focus first on package design to ensure expectation fulfilment through the Bhutan Tour Operator Standards (BTOS).
- Both to be followed be deeper understanding of greenhouse gas emission (GHGe) calculation methodology and simultaneously including the extended value chain, including drivers, guides and suppliers.
For early adopters, a GHGe tool has been developed that has higher accuracy and increased scope than the calculations used in earlier projects. International flights from from last port of call remain, and values for accommodation, land transport, activities, food and beverages, and waste management (not just creation) have all been improved. Based on earlier findings, handicrafts had a very low footprint with a strong positive social impact, so they are not included. Having said that, there is an issue with imported products that needs to be addressed through research and stakeholder consultation. Another area that was deemed overly complicated at first but is slated for roll out, are business operation emissions. As most companies are very small (less than 10 staff) and power use is 100% hydroelectricity, actual emissions from tour arrangements are a higher priority.
Considering hotels and operators engaged with sustainability assessment standards, ABTO then combined the permanent products into desirable tour packages that fit with key source markets and that offer opportunities for customisation (for example, better scoring BGHS locations), as well as more human-powered activities. The revised GHGe calculation tool is then applied by operators. So far ABTO has found that the tool helps to improve awareness and encourage behavioural change through making better, more sustainable choices. There have been many changes to calculating GHGes over the years, so a direct comparison to the 2015 base line is problematic, but we can certainly apply the tool to equivalent products and packages from 2019 when they were first researched.
Table 5: Low Carbon Products in 2019 vs 2025
| Tour Package | Year | Nights | Land Transport | 5-star Hotel twin share | F&B | Activities & Waste | Total per tourist | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Bhutan: Thimpu-Gangtey-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 9 | 666 | 256 | 85 | 23.9 | 479.1 | |
| Classic Bhutan: Thimpu-Gangtey-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 9 | 0 | 127.9 | 20.43 | 34.38 | 182.71 | -62% |
| Druk Path Trek: Paro-Camp-Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 9 | 283.5 | 142 | 84.7 | 46.1 | 339.3 | |
| Druk Path Trek: Paro-Camp-Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 9 | 0 | 60.9 | 16.95 | 47.02 | 124.87 | -63% |
| Discover Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 7 | 375 | 110 | 53.7 | 16.2 | 265.4 | |
| Discover Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 7 | 0 | 99.5 | 15.89 | 26.74 | 142.13 | -46% |
| Heart of the Himalayas: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 5 | 284.4 | 142 | 54.6 | 14.6 | 261.9 | |
| Heart of the Himalayas: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 5 | 0 | 71 | 11.35 | 19.1 | 101.45 | -61% |
| Bhutan In Style: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2019 | 7 | 395.25 | 199 | 81 | 21.2 | 378.2 | |
| Bhutan In Style: Thimpu-Punakha-Paro | 2025 | 7 | 0 | 99.5 | 15.89 | 26.74 | 142.13 | -62% |
| Perfect Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Haa-Paro | 2019 | 7 | 444.5 | 171 | 48.6 | 16.2 | 323.3 | |
| Perfect Bhutan: Thimpu-Punakha-Haa-Paro | 2025 | 7 | 0 | 99.5 | 15.89 | 26.74 | 142.13 | -56% |
*Note: improvements come from both decreasing emissions (eg use of twin share SUV EVs, minimal route distance) and improved tour design using BGHS high score hotels only (reduced accommodation footprint), local buffet with locally sourced (up to 50km radius) ingredients for at least 40% of foods, at least 1.5 hours of human powered activities each day. Also includes increased values for waste management rather than simply waste generated.
To summarise, SUSTOUR and Government of Bhutan initiatives that have impacted GHGes associated with the tour packages:
1. Transport Electrification: 300 EV taxis and many new SUV EVs used by tour operators. Introduction of EV buses for public transport. Rapid development of EV recharging locations – currently in all major tourist destinations and now expanding through hotel parking stations – 714 EVs are currently registered in the country, with plans to increase this to one station for every 15 EVs by 2030 (source: Bhutan Broadcasting Service quoting the Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, 29 May, 2025).
Map 1: EV Charging Stations in Bhutan
2. Training of Green Supply Networks – working through metropolitan and local administration systems, ABTO connects tourism entrepreneurs (mostly hotels) with local farmers to help them plan demand and supply for the year. Additional benefits include price stability, improving quality and variety, and building a story / narrative for promotions.
3. Sustainable Driving Practices: By mandating a lower speed limit, Bhutan effectively reduces vehicular emissions, contributing to cleaner air and a reduction in noise pollution. This creates a more pleasant and healthy environment for both residents and visitors, preserving the tranquillity and purity that Bhutan is known for.
4. Bhutan Green Hotel Standard (BGHS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all hotel operations.
5. Bhutan Tour Operator Standard (BTOS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all tour operations.
6. Eat Local Campaign – Linked to Green Supply Networks, this awareness program highlights local restaurants, which enriches the tourism experience by fostering authentic cultural exchanges and providing insights into Bhutanese lifestyle and cuisine. It supports local economies, sustains traditional crafts and culinary heritage, and promotes sustainable tourism practices by reducing the carbon footprint associated with international chains.
7. Healthy Tourism – Human-powered activities during tours in Bhutan, such as hiking and biking, directly contribute to sustainable tourism by minimizing carbon emissions and environmental impact. These activities promote health and wellness, offer immersive cultural and natural experiences, and support local economies by engaging with community-based services, embodying Bhutan’s principles of environmental conservation and Gross National Happiness.
8. Integrated Waste Management Plan: system, especially in tourism hotspots (Punakha (Chimi Lhakhang), Thimphu (Phajoding) and Paro (Municipality)) that include comprehensive separation centre, CCTV. Extensive signage and administrative budget.
9. An intuitive and easily accessible GHGe calculation tool for TOs and tourists to assess their footprint and see the impact of greener choices – the full methodology is available at www. NEW TOOL WEBSITE .com
10. The Rise of Regenerative Tourism: Nascent, but rapidly growing use of Farm Resorts and localised supply chains by accommodation and restaurants.
1. Develop social impact assessment system that includes entire value chain – this will require extensive collaborative planning and would complete the foundation to building a regenerative tourism industry.
2. Enhance positive social impacts because the more people benefit the greater the force for change can be. For example, a regulated and certified ‘Made in Bhutan’ mark with shops dedicated to made in Bhutan products, this should also include service and business matching-making forums across the country.
3. Improve GHGe datasets through local research institutes, this will improve emission calculation accuracy. Industry bodies, like ABTO, should identify, monitor and manage hotspots. Additionally, the calculation tool needs to include business operations for hotels and tour operators so that the Department of Tourism can control total industry emissions.
4. Increase green investment incentives for electrification (especially solar) and water purification systems for hotels, EV Carts for popular festivals when there is transport stress and how to manage embedded emissions associated with new builds, which may also include establishing a carbon price.
5. Create a green transition fund for the tourism sector, possibly financed through voluntary offsetting and micro-offsetting schemes. This could also be linked to investment incentives.
6. Be a source of inspiration for regional change by working with national and international bodies like ICIMOD and industry associations Bhutan can drive the alignment of standards, highlight common issues, work together to find solutions and share the vision of regenerative tourism.
7. Regular interaction with regional tourism associations who would have signed MoU with ABTO during the August 2025 “Regenerative Bhutan Forum – the pathway to Regenerative Tourism”.
8. Department of Tourism’s commitment to hold Regenerative Bhutan Forum on a annual basis and also to have repository of reports and data through BGHS, BTOS and GHGe reporting mechanism.
Table 5: Low Carbon Products in 2019 vs 2025
| Tour Package | Nights | Land Transport | 5-star Hotel | Total per tourist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canter and Gallop on Horses in the Blessed Valley, Bumthang | 8 | 153 | 235 | 388 |
| Trek the Path of the Thunder Dragon | 7 | 24 | 88 plus camping | 112 |
| West to East on Low Carbon Wheels: Mountain Biking Holiday | 7 | 25 | 205 | 230 |
| Tour of a Lifetime - Tour of the Dragon | 7 | 67 | 205 | 272 |
| A Green Getaway Alcove Wangdue Ecolodge | 7 | 58 | 14 | 72 |
| Ecolodges in the Royal Manas National Park | 15 | 184 | 166 | 350 |
| Ecoadventures in the Royal Botanical Park | 6 | 25 | 176 | 201 |
| Natural Botanical Marvel Rhododendrons! | 7 | 107 | 205 | 312 |
| Experience Bhutan on a Walking Excursion! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Run in Bhutan for Low Carbon Tourism! (Bhutan International Marathon) | 7 | 53 | 205 | 258 |
| Land Least Trekked – Zhemgang! | 10 | 245 | 129 | 374 |
| Harmony in Conservation Phobjikha Valley | 8 | 83 | 235 | 318 |
| GNH Travel – a Touch of Bhutan’s Happiness Formula | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Weave Your Path in Bhutan – Textile Trip | 15 | 255 | 439 | 694 |
| Year Long Tributes to Guru Padmasambhava – Tsechus! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Trongsa Special – the Regal Heritage! | 10 | 153 | 293 | 446 |
| Living Fortresses from the Ancient! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
| Eastward to Drametse Source of the Dance of Drums! | 10 | 406 | 293 | 699 |
| Culinary Adventure in Bhutan | 15 | 227 | 439 | 666 |
| Wellness Treats to Spiritual Awakening! | 15 | 226 | 439 | 665 |
*Note: improvements come from both decreasing emissions (eg use of twin share SUV EVs, minimal route distance) and improved tour design using BGHS high score hotels only (reduced accommodation footprint), local buffet with locally sourced (up to 50km radius) ingredients for at least 40% of foods, at least 1.5 hours of human powered activities each day. Also includes increased values for waste management rather than simply waste generated.
To summarise, SUSTOUR and Government of Bhutan initiatives that have impacted GHGes associated with the tour packages:
1. Transport Electrification: 300 EV taxis and many new SUV EVs used by tour operators. Introduction of EV buses for public transport. Rapid development of EV recharging locations – currently in all major tourist destinations and now expanding through hotel parking stations – 714 EVs are currently registered in the country, with plans to increase this to one station for every 15 EVs by 2030 (source: Bhutan Broadcasting Service quoting the Minister for Energy and Natural Resources, 29 May, 2025).
Map 1: EV Charging Stations in Bhutan
2. Training of Green Supply Networks – working through metropolitan and local administration systems, ABTO connects tourism entrepreneurs (mostly hotels) with local farmers to help them plan demand and supply for the year. Additional benefits include price stability, improving quality and variety, and building a story / narrative for promotions.
3. Sustainable Driving Practices: By mandating a lower speed limit, Bhutan effectively reduces vehicular emissions, contributing to cleaner air and a reduction in noise pollution. This creates a more pleasant and healthy environment for both residents and visitors, preserving the tranquillity and purity that Bhutan is known for.
4. Bhutan Green Hotel Standard (BGHS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all hotel operations.
5. Bhutan Tour Operator Standard (BTOS) – a range of 70 internationally aligned sustainability performance criteria that are designed to enhance positive behavioural changes and responsible choices across all tour operations.
6. Eat Local Campaign – Linked to Green Supply Networks, this awareness program highlights local restaurants, which enriches the tourism experience by fostering authentic cultural exchanges and providing insights into Bhutanese lifestyle and cuisine. It supports local economies, sustains traditional crafts and culinary heritage, and promotes sustainable tourism practices by reducing the carbon footprint associated with international chains.
7. Healthy Tourism – Human-powered activities during tours in Bhutan, such as hiking and biking, directly contribute to sustainable tourism by minimizing carbon emissions and environmental impact. These activities promote health and wellness, offer immersive cultural and natural experiences, and support local economies by engaging with community-based services, embodying Bhutan’s principles of environmental conservation and Gross National Happiness.
8. Integrated Waste Management Plan: system, especially in tourism hotspots (Punakha (Chimi Lhakhang), Thimphu (Phajoding) and Paro (Municipality)) that include comprehensive separation centre, CCTV. Extensive signage and administrative budget.
9. An intuitive and easily accessible GHGe calculation tool for TOs and tourists to assess their footprint and see the impact of greener choices – the full methodology is available at www. NEW TOOL WEBSITE .com
10. The Rise of Regenerative Tourism: Nascent, but rapidly growing use of Farm Resorts and localised supply chains by accommodation and restaurants.