Tourism numbers continue to grow for Bhutan

The number of visitors to the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan has grown by 15 per cent in the first half of 2007.

The increase in arrivals comes after it was revealed that Bhutan had recorded a 27 per cent increase in visitor numbers from the previous year.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Director of Strategic Intelligence Centre, John Koldowski said that while the volume of visitors is small, we have to understand that the Kingdom of Bhutan is a relative newcomer to international tourism as we know it.

"Bhutan opened its doors to change, modernisation and the world at large in 1961; and to tourism in 1974, when King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was crowned," said Koldowski.

The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is a small sovereign country in the Eastern Himalayas between the Tibetan autonomous region of China, the India states of Assam and the West Bengal to the south.

e-Travel Blackboard (press release), Australia