Bhutan Tourist Charges Explained – The Sustainable Development Fee

UPDATED 12/09/23 to reflect the recently announced 50% reduction in the Bhutan Sustainable Development Fee

The Kingdom of Bhutan has changed its tourism policy. This directly affects the costs for any tourist visiting to Bhutan.

For many years Bhutan has used a MINIMUM DAILY TARIFF. It used to cost around $US 250 per day.

Whilst this daily charge that all tourists had to pay (as a minimum) was very expensive, it did at least include various services e.g 3* hotel accommodation, meals, some transport, guide, entrance fee’s to sites and monuments etc.

Replacing the Minimum Daily Tariff is a SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FEE

The Sustainable Development Fee will be $100 per person, per night! (Updated 12/09/23, previously it was $US 200 per person, per night). This fee will remain valid until September 2027 (unless the Bhutanese authorities change their mind again).

Clearly the halving of the Sustainable Development Fee is because the Bhutanese authorities have woken up to the fact that charging $ US 200 per person, per night during the middle of a global economic crisis was …..well…prohibitive. Not surprisingly they’ve now realised that what is essentially an exorbitant tourist tax was having a very negative effect on the number of tourists visiting Bhutan.

So as of now, every night you spend in Bhutan you will have to pay $100 and that is as we’ve just said per person as well.

For example, two people staying four nights in Bhutan will cost a total of $US 800 in Sustainable Development Fee’s alone.

ON TOP OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FEE COSTS will be whatever services you require whilst you are on holiday in Bhutan. For example:

Accommodation

Meals

Guide

Transport

Entrance fee’s to monuments and sites

Porterage services on trek (and in Bhutan treks need to be Fully Supported Camping)

To be clear, the Sustainable Development Fee includes absolutely nothing.

So, in one way Bhutan has become just like visiting Nepal (or pretty much any country) where you would reasonably except to pay for the various services you’d need for a holiday.

But, the difference is unlike Nepal you’ll also be paying $US 100 per person, per night extra in Bhutan.

Can you avoid the Sustainable Development Fee?

In a word “no”. It is a non-negotiable charge imposed by the Government of Bhutan in conjunction with the Bhutan Tourism Council.

Does the Sustainable Development Fee include the Visa?

Again “no”, the visa cost is in addition.