Supporting ‘Bhutan Believe’: The SUSTOUR Bhutan story so far
Bhutan believes it is (or could be) the world’s greenest and most responsible travel destination. The SUSTOUR Bhutan project, funded by the European Union under its SWITCH-Asia programme, is supporting Bhutan’s effort to realise this goal with a focus on sustainable, inclusive, and resilient tourism development.
“The SUSTOUR project stands as a beacon of relevance and importance for Bhutan, particularly in navigating the complexities of tourism post-COVID, while upholding our principles of sustainability.” _ Dorji Dhradhul, Director General, Department of Tourism (DoT), Bhutan
Launched in 2020, SUSTOUR Bhutan targets the entire value chain: tour operators, hotels, restaurants, guides, transportation, and suppliers.
Despite COVID dominating much of its timeframe, SUSTOUR Bhutan has established:
- Travelife Partnership (for eligible tour operators)
- The Bhutan Green Hotels standard (for all accommodation types)
- Low-carbon Bhutan travel packages (with a ‘Net Zero’ 2030 target)
