Bhutan’s High-Value Tourism Model

Bhutan is one of the few countries in the world that doesn’t want mass tourism.

While most nations compete for millions of visitors, Bhutan chose a different path.

Hidden in the Himalayas between India and China, this small kingdom stayed isolated

for centuries. When it finally opened its doors in the 1970s, the government asked

a simple but powerful question: how do we welcome the world without losing who we are?

The answer became the foundation of Bhutan’s tourism system. Bhutan follows a

philosophy called Gross National Happiness. Instead of measuring success only through money and growth,

the country prioritizes mental well-being, cultural preservation, environmental protection, and community life.