Thimphu [Bhutan], May 19 : Bhutan's Department of Tourism has certified more than 200 non-star hotels out of nearly 300 hotels assessed, The Bhutan Live reported. The development comes after the Cabinet's recent approval, which allowed non-star hotels to offer services to tourists as long as they meet the minimum standards set by the department.
Since tourism resumed in Bhutan last September, the department notified that only certified hotels will be allowed to cater to tourists. The decision was taken to ensure and enhance the overall tourist experience in Bhutan, according to Bhutan Live report.
Bhutan's Department of Tourism has been working to assess the hotels. However, more than 60 hotels are still waiting to be assessed due to a shortage of manpower. Dorji Dhradhul, the Director General of the Department of Tourism, said that the assessment for the remaining hotels will start soon, The Bhutan Live reported.
"Right now, we have divided the work but we are facing a manpower shortage. However, we will begin the assessment works as soon as possible," The Bhutan Live quoted Dorji Dhradhul as saying.
Dorji Dhradhul stated that the certification process is being conducted to ensure that tourists get the high-value experience as promised by the tourism policy and not to showcase star ratings. He stressed that the initiative is expected to play a key role in reviving Bhutan's economy, as per The Bhutan Live report.
"This is intended for economic revival. The Department of Tourism will be assessing the quality of the non-star hotels and ensure that the hotels meet the minimum standards," Dorji Dhradhul said.
According to Bhutan's Tourism Department, there is a list of criteria that the hotels will be required to meet like hygiene, cleanliness, comfort, safety, amenities and services. After meeting the criteria, the hotels will qualify for star I and start II hotels. As per the news report, more than 500 registered non-star hotels are present in Bhutan.
Meanwhile, Bhutan received more than 52,000 tourists in the past eight months, The Bhutan Live reported. The Bhutanese Tourism Department has described the statistics as a positive trend in the tourism industry's resurgence. Among the international tourists, a large number of visitors were those who paid the new sustainable development fee (SDF) exceeding those who paid the previous rate, as per the news report.
Among international tourists, over 32,500 are Indian tourists who paid Nu 1,200 per night. Of more than 19,000 international tourists, a little more than half of them visited Bhutan under the new SDF, according to The Bhutan Live report. However, Tourism Department has said that this data does not include the visitors who came for official purposes.
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