Ecotourism as a mechanism for sustainable development: the case of Bhutan

Figures & data

Figure 1. Development of tourists entering Bhutan (and main objectives) (Source: RGoB 1997; RGoB 2001; DoT 2004).

Table I. Distribution of the country of origin of tourists in Bhutan (1993 – 2004).

Country of origin	1993 (%)	1997 (%)	2000 (%)	2004 (%)
North America (USA and Canada)	23.4	19.6	39.9	37.9
Japan	21.3	21.9	11.6	11.8
Western Europe	48.1	44.5	36.8	35.5
Australia	1.9	2.3	2.4	3.4
Others	5.3	11.7	9.3	11.4
Total	100	100	100	100
Sources: RGoB (2001); DoT (2004).

Figure 2. Percentage of bed nights spent in regions.

Figure 3. Average % bed nights spend per month (2000 – 2004) (Source: DoT 2004; RGoB 2005).

Figure 4. Flowchart of revenues from tourism in the Bhutanese society.

Table II. Ranking importance of income by source (n = 46) (% of hotels).

Visitor categories	Very important	Important	Not important
Foreign tourist	37.7	11.1	51.1
Indian tourists	13.3	15.6	71.1
Local guests	48.9	11.1	40.0

Table III. Intensity of use of trekking routes in Bhutan in 2004.

	No. of trekkers	Days	Days on route	People per day on a day's section	People: horse/yak ratio	Numbers of horses/yak per day on track
Druk Path	324	4	1296	11.6	1 to 3	35
Chomolhari	289	8	2312	20.6	1 to 6	124
Bhunthang Cultural Trek	236	4	944	8.4	1 to 3	25
Laya	202	13	2626	23.4	1 to 6	141
Gangtey	129	3	387	3.5	1 to 3	10
Lunana Snowman Trek	64	24	1536	13.7	1 to 6	82
Wild East Rodungla Trek	47	9	423	3.8	1 to 3	11
Samtegnang	42	4	168	1.5	1 to 3	5
Gangkar Phunsum Trek	17	8	136	1.2	1 to 3	4
Sinchula	5	4	20	0.2	1 to 3	1
Snowman via Nikachu	3	22	66	0.6	1 to 6	4
Dur Spring Trek	1	7	7	0.1	1 to 3	0
Dagala	1	5	5	0.0	1 to 3	0
Sources: Jordans (2005); DoT (2004).

RGoB (Royal Government of Bhutan) . 1997 . Bhutan tourism master plan: description and analysis of tourism in Bhutan (Draft) , Vol. I , 53 Ministry of Trade and Industries, Department of Tourism, Tourism Authority of Bhutan .

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RGoB (Royal Government of Bhutan) . 2001 . Bhutan National Ecotourism Strategy. Ministry of Trade and Industries. Department of Tourism , Bangkok : Keen Publishing .

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DoT . 2004 . International Tourism Monitor, Kingdom of Bhutan , Department of Tourism, Thimphu, Ministry of Trade and Industries .

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RGoB (Royal Government of Bhutan) . 2005 . National revenue report for 2004 – 2005 , 31 Thimphu : Department of Revenue and Customs, Kuensel Corporation .

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Jordans , B . 2005 . Bhutan, a trekker's guide , Milnthorpe, , UK : Cicerone .

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