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Bhutan's
Economy - Tourism
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Tourist
lodges thrive in Bumthang
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Guesthouse in Choskhor valley
If
you have the money, you might as well build a tourist guest house in Bumthang.
Ask Kaila for example, who owns and runs a 12 roomed guest-house in Chamkhar
(Choskhor) valley.
His
guest house has been packed for the past week even though the tourist season
in Bumthang is yet to peak. "Tourists visiting Bumthang are on the rise,"
he says.
Mountain
lodge, a huge 23-roomed guest house, which opened in 1998, has bookings
till the end of the month. |
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The
family-run lodge handles about 200 tourists each season
(March and October)and
makes a gross income of about Nu 500,000 according to proprietor, Karma
Tobden, which is "enough to keep the family in the business and allow for
repairs and expansion".
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Today
the picturesque Choskhor valley has a dozen tourist guest houses
with over a hundred rooms to occupy. And all of them have been booked or
are full.
"During
the season there is a lot of competition among tour operators for the best
accommodation for their guests," said a tour operator.
"Bumthang
has only two seasons a year March-April and September- October but
everyone makes enough to carry on through the dry season," says Kaila,
one of the first people in the business. |
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top
 Bumthang's
high inflow of tourists |
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House in Bumthang
But
the inflow of tourists is so high that lodge owners usually hire farm houses
"just in case more space is needed" says the proprietor of the 23-roomed
Swiss guest house who handles clients for about eight tour operators. "I
always book about three farm houses in advance," he added. Kaila recalls
that in 1999 there were more visitors shacked up in farm houses than in
tourist lodges. "But tourists complained of the accommodation which lacked
basic amenities." The high demand for accommodation during the season has
convinced local tourist lodge owners that there is still room for more
lodges although several new ones are still under construction. "We have
been seeing an increase in tourists every year," says Wangchuk of Leki
guest house who previously worked as a cook and waiter for a travel company.
"I am not worried about competition from other hotels, in fact I am planning
an expansion of my guest house." That is what most of the lodge owners
do during the off season - expand and add more amenities. Some of the lodges
even boast of conference rooms to host officials workshops and meetings. |
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