Tourism: ‘How do you share it with the world and yet protect it?’ asks Bhutan PM

"Sustainability is always profitable in the long term," Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan told the Reimagine Tourism in Greece conference in Athens on Wednesday.

Speaking during a conversation with Kathimerini English Edition Editor in Chief Tom Ellis, Tobgay outlined Bhutan's "high-value, low-volume" tourism model, which includes charging a sustainable development fee of $100 per night per tourist.

In a country that has made it a matter of national policy to improve the happiness and well-being of its population, the revenue generated by this fee goes toward the country's free education, healthcare, environmental conservation and cultural preservation.

Tourists traveling to the South Asian country of 750,000 residents must obtain a visa and pre-book hotels, guided tours and other activities before visiting. 

"The guide will show you around the...