The country’s tour operators are doubly happy about the government’s decision to strike down the tariff liberalization proposal (by McKinsey) and instead raise it to USD 250 a tourist a day. Many tour operators felt the new tariff revision was timely as the old USD 200 tariff existed since 1989, when the 36-year old tourism sector was run by the government. It was handed over to the private sector in 1991.
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Bhutanese tour guides have been in the limelight recently. In a meeting on the 24th of February 2010 with the various stakeholders in the Bhutanese tourism industry, the Prime Minister pointed out unprofessionalism and the lack of ethics among the Bhutanese tour guides. In the wake of all these unwanted attention, the Guides Association of Bhutan (GAB) has circulated amongst its members, a draft 25-point Code of Conduct for tour guides. The GAB welcomes suggestions.
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