Familiarization trip for National Tour Operators and National Tour Guides to explore Community-based Sustainable Tourism Products in Haa

More than 50 National Tour operators and Guides joined the Familiarization Trip organized by Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) in collaboration with Nature Conservation Division under Department of Forests and Park Services on November 18 and 19, 2017.

The program was organized to familiarize/educate participants on the tourism products and services in Haa and to promote Haa as a tourism destination for the travel agencies.

Haa as a tourism destination was opened to tourist only in the year 2002. The participants of the familiarization trip were not aware of the tourism resources available in Haa, therefore, this program provided opportunities to promote CBST programs and increase staying overnight in Haa valley.

The program was a package to promote cultural and natural assets together where all the participants could experience the tourism assets in Bjee, Kartsho and Eusu Gewog over the period of two days.

The two days’ familiarization tour was a success mainly owing to the support provided by Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators, Guide Association of Bhutan, Haa Dzongkhag Administration, Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve.

The program ended with knowledge /experiences sharing with the other participants and providing the feedbacks on respective homestays, local guides and potential tourism resources.

The program is supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and ICIMOD through Kanchenjunga Landscape Conservation and Development Initiative.