The Bhutanese Leading the way.
By Dorji Dhradhul (Creativity Catalyst)
An international perception survey was undertaken between April and June 2025 to assess the global relevance of Bhutan’s High Value, Low Volume (HVLV) tourism policy in the context of mounting challenges facing tourism worldwide. These challenges include the accelerating climate crisis, over-tourism and mass tourism pressures, cultural erosion, and the declining quality of visitor experiences across many destinations.
The survey comprised 25 structured questions and received responses from 114 participants representing 21 nationalities. Respondents included Bhutanese (40.4%) and Indians (9.6%), alongside participants from the United States, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Colombia, Georgia, Malaysia, Panama, Australia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, New Zealand, Switzerland, Germany, Kuwait, Belgium, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. This diverse composition offers a rich mix of perspectives from travelers, tourism professionals, sustainability practitioners, and development thinkers.
Beyond serving as a diagnostic tool, the survey functions as an external validation of Bhutan’s emerging model of mindfulness, regenerative tourism, situated within a holistic framework of national and global wellbeing grounded in Gross National Happiness (GNH) and Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC.)
Bhutan’s pioneering High Value, Low Volume tourism model continues to command strong global resonance, beyond Bhutan. More significantly, the results do more than validate a tourism policy: they reaffirm the deeper philosophy, principles, and long-term national vision that Bhutan is now advancing through the GMC.
HVLV and GMC: Continuity, Not Departure
The GMC envisioned as the world’s first global model for regenerative, values-based, and humane development is poised to become one of the most creative development initiatives of the 21st century. GMC integrates mindfulness principles with sustainable infrastructure, biophilic architecture, wellness- and spirituality-inspired enterprise and livelihoods, and deep alignment with Gross National Happiness.
Tourism, as one of GMC’s core pillars, is not an add-on but a deliberate expression of this philosophy. It emphasizes high-value, immersive experiences, cultural journeys, mindfulness retreats, nature-based exploration, and learning exchanges rather than mass and hard-core business visitation.
The survey findings strongly reinforce this direction. A clear majority of respondents supported regulated visitor numbers, with 70.2% favoring exclusive, well-managed experiences over unrestricted access. This global preference directly validates GMC’s tourism vision: attracting discerning visitors who seek meaning, responsibility, and depth over volume and speed.
Global Tourism in Crisis and Bhutan’s Response
The survey confirms what many destinations now experience viscerally: global tourism is widely perceived to be in crisis. Environmental degradation (34.2%), overtourism (20.2%), and cultural erosion (13.2%) dominate respondents’ concerns, with nearly 79% reporting personal experiences of overcrowded and degraded destinations. Against this backdrop, Bhutan’s HVLV model is viewed not as restrictive, but as prescient.
More than half of respondents (53.5%) rejected the notion that HVLV is inherently elitist, instead viewing it as a fair and ethical mechanism for protecting scarce natural and cultural assets. Where concerns about affordability emerged, they were largely conditional linked to transparency, inclusivity, and clarity of benefit-sharing rather than rejection of the principle itself. This nuance is particularly relevant for GMC, where tourism is explicitly designed to be regenerative: visitors are not passive consumers, but contributors to environmental restoration, cultural vitality, and community wellbeing.
Sustainable Development Fee and the Architecture of Trust
Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), currently set at USD 100 per day (with 50% discount until 2027), emerged as a central point of discussion. Awareness was high, with 59.6% of respondents familiar with the fee. Perceptions leaned positive, with 49.1% considering it reasonable in support of sustainability, and 54.4% indicating a willingness to pay for a sustainable experience.
Transparency in fund allocation surfaced as a recurring concern. As one respondent noted, “Reasonable as long as I know where the money goes. More explicit explanation about how it supports sustainability needs to be given to tourists.” Calls for flexibility were also prominent. A substantial 70.2% supported dynamic pricing, such as higher fees during peak seasons and reduced rates during off-seasons to encourage travel to underrepresented regions, including eastern and southern Bhutan. While 28.9% supported adopting similar fees in fragile destinations globally, 34.2% emphasized that such measures should be context-specific rather than universal.
Global Relevance: Philosophy Over Replication
The survey also examined whether Bhutan’s HVLV model could inform international tourism practices. While 56.1% believed it is best suited to unique cultural, ecological, or fragile destinations, 24.6% saw it as viable across a broader range of contexts. Destinations frequently cited as suitable included small island states, heritage cities such as Kyoto, Palau and Bali, and protected natural areas such as national parks.
One of the survey’s most consistent findings is that HVLV’s greatest strength lies not in its replication as a fixed policy, but in its adaptability as a guiding philosophy. Respondents strongly cautioned against one-size-fits-all approaches while supporting the application of HVLV principles in sensitive and high-value contexts.
Balancing Growth and Preservation
The survey further reinforces the view that tourism should not serve as a country’s sole economic driver. Nearly half of respondents (46.5%) advocated economic diversification, while 61.9% supported a balanced approach to tourism policy. Looking ahead, 59.6% expressed support for a global sustainability certification for destinations similar to organic labels, while 33.6% endorsed environmental offset mechanisms, such as carbon taxes, provided they are transparently managed.
Respondents also demonstrated a strong sense of personal responsibility. Many reported prioritizing respect for local cultures (67.5%), choosing eco-friendly accommodations (56.1%), and actively avoiding over-touristed destinations (37.7%).
Open-ended responses further highlighted the model’s global appeal. One participant wrote, “Bhutan’s HVLV tourism model is a compelling approach to sustainable tourism, it offers valuable lessons for global tourism management.” Others cautioned against uniform application, noting that “while it is an excellent model, it may not work for all countries’ circumstances.” Where critiques appeared, they focused on practical concerns such as potential revenue leakage from policy shifts that allow foreign operators to bypass local enterprises.
