Sustainable Tourism in Asia : Bhutan
The Balinese resisted assimilation because they long ago figured out how to combine cultural and commercial tourism to become self-sustaining. They use the profits for preservation of both the environment and culture- Hindu worshippers maintain their temples and traditional dancers perform onstage. There’s nothing irrelevant performative culture if it’s a life-saving preservative, which provides the correct alternative for dying cultures.
Bhutan has figured out how to profit from foreigners without selling out. It has learned from mistakes of Nepal, which lets in backpackers who spend limited funds on camping trips that takes a toll on the region — leaving behind little more than litter on the beaten path.
If future travel is to achieve greater sustainability, we need more reforms. That means a symbiosis which benefits its visitors as well as venues. It doesn’t need more of the same, more massive than before, more homogenizing than heretofore.
The Bhutanese chose a different model, deliberately rationing the number of tourists allowed. Kingdom incurs a minimum US $250 a day, per person, collected through kingdom. You get a values. Tourists always look towards cost, so the daily fee acts as a barrier for bargain hunters. It keeps the no. down while maximizing revenues.