Bhutan will lower the nightly fees it charges tourists who stay more than four days, in an attempt to boost visitor numbers that are still a fraction of the level before the COVID-19 pandemic. When the scenic Himalayan kingdom reopened its borders for tourists in September last year after more than two years of pandemic closure, it raised its "Sustainable Development Fee" to $200 per visitor per night from the $65 it had charged for about three decades. Authorities say the SDF is designed to attract wealthy tourists by discouraging budget travelers who spoil the environment. The funds maintain the pristine landscape and off-set the carbon footprints left by visitors. Bhutan bans mountain climbing to preserve the sanctity of its peaks, and draws only a fraction of the tourists...
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