Bhutan’s Making Tourism Easier Counting on Travelers to Revive Economy

For a country that’s long prioritized a balanced lifestyle and good governance over economic gain, Bhutan is doing something it’s never done before: embrace more independent, cost-conscious travelers in an urgent bid to revive its faltering economy.

Tshering Tobgay, now prime minister, characterized Bhutan’s economy as “on the brink of collapse” in a November 2023 election manifesto for his People’s Democratic Party, citing an average economic growth rate of just 1.7% over five…