The Guides Association of Bhutan (GAB), which represents the country’s almost 1,300 guides voted against the policy to liberalize the existing US$ 200 tariff that Tourism Council of Bhutan proposed.
The decision was a unanimous one from all 102 GAB members who were called for a meeting to discuss the policy yesterday. Voting forms were distributed among other guides to deliver for those unable to attend.
GAB executive members said the association was in the dark regarding the government’s plans and policies.
“There is a lack of information and consultation from TCB’s side,” Sherub an executive member said. “Our main source of information has only been the media while we have been mainly consulting with ABTO.”
Another member, Jimba said they had a brief interaction with TCB which was neither enough nor substantive.
Besides the lack of transparency, members pointed out that guides were left out during any consultations.
While the members agreed with the governments plan to have a guide for every tourist, they cast their doubts of what was happening in reality.
“There is a danger of cab drivers and people hired by hotels posing as guides without licenses,” Sherub said. “This will lead to the Kathmandu situation, where guides hang around tourist sites, soliciting them.”
GAB members also expressed their doubts over TCB’s ability to monitor the ground situation in the face of increased tourist numbers.
“The problem exists even today where TCB is unable to monitor basic things like quality of hotel rooms, food and guides without licenses,” Tashi, another member said. “So how would they be able to deal with big numbers.”
Mindu said that even with an increased number of tourists visiting the country the guides would still earn the same income, as prices would reduce.
Sangay Dorji said TCB’s current guide training courses were inadequate as they were conducted only once a month, which was too short a duration to produce quality guides. “There could be a problem in the number of guides to deal with increased tourists,” he said.
Tashi complained that the guides, who were neglected so far both by Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators, were being informed, out of the blue, at the last moment on the tariff issue. “ABTO is getting closer to us only because of this tariff issue which could hurt them more,” Tashi said, “Earlier they were not supportive of GAB at all.”
GAB member also said the tariff liberalization should be the last option in its attempt to bring in the required number of tourists.
Guides also raised the specter of harm to the country’s culture from excess tourists.
TCB’s Joint Director Kunzang Norbu said they consulted the GAB members to discuss these issues and would continue to do so until it was resolved.