Page 34 - BHUTAN 2007

the implications of that “linguistic” condescension before! So Shangri-La
does have a dark side after all; only the Bhutanese are entitled to participate

in the Gross National Happiness.

TOURISM

Bhutan strictly controls tourism in its efforts to contain contamination from

outside influences. By charging relatively high prices and requiring that all

visitors have Bhutanese guides and drivers, the government restricts the

number of tourists each year. In 2007, Bhutan would allow only 17,000
visitors in all. No independent backpackers such as Nepal has hosted over

the years are permitted here. The plan is to permit 21,000 to visit in 2008!

So we realized that we were in a very select group by being able to visit this

marvelous place. It has only been in the last 15 years that television was

allowed and foreign movies are still not shown in Bhutan (it has its own
movie industry to produce films for home consumption). Foreign movies are

available to rent for home use. Of course, the Internet (there are many

Cyber-Cafes all around the country) and the ubiquitous cell phones are

quickly silting in the artificial “moat” that has protected the little sky-castle

kingdom for so long.