“One of our biggest challenges is being seen as this locked-down mountain kingdom,” a Bhutanese politician complained to me during my visit to the thunder dragon’s tiny country in the Himalayas in late 2022. members of the government and enthusiastic locals embark on an inaugural march along the new Trans Bhutan Road, a revived network of ancient trade routes.
Like many tourists in my group, I was drawn to the mystery behind the golden temples and snow-capped peaks of a country that only opened to tourism 50 years ago.
Bhutan’s advantage has always been elusive. A nation built on the principles of Buddhism and the philosophy of “Gross National Happiness” seems so foreign and exotic in a world that thrives and collapses under capitalism that Bhutan might as well be on Mars.
Education and healthcare are free, there are no billboards or large fast-food chains (junk food junkies in the capital Thimphu have their own KFC – Karma Fried Chicken), and it was the first country in the world to be declared carbon negative. This all adds up to a real-life Shangri-La.
But things inevitably change. In his address to the nation late last year, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck announced ambitious plans for a new urban development aimed at putting Bhutan on the economic map. Spread across 250,000 acres (2.5 percent of the mountainous country), Gelephu Awareness City will include residential neighborhoods, healthcare, spiritual and cultural centres, a university and an airport.
“The Gelephu Master Plan gives form to His Majesty’s vision to create a city that remains grounded in Bhutanese nature and culture, becoming a cradle for growth and innovation,” says Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). was assigned to realize the ambitious project. “We imagine the City of Mindfulness as a place that cannot be anywhere else.”
This is a laudable concept; An attempt to balance the demands of economic development with the needs of spiritual well-being. But the cynic in me wonders if this is humanly possible. Could Bhutan’s sublime urban dream be nothing more than a Buddhist Disneyland or a nirvanic Center Parcs?
Adapting to the outside world
To be fair, Bhutan’s rulers have been in a difficult situation for some time. A mass exodus of disillusioned youth seeking better job opportunities in Australia, India and Kuwait has resulted in 14,000 people (2 percent of the population) leaving the country between 2018 and 2023, according to Paro International Airport data.
“If we don’t find the right solution, our population could shrink to the point where we have more shops than customers, more restaurants than diners, and more houses than tenants,” His Majesty said in a public address.
When I first visited Bhutan in 2010, internet connection was spotty. Now 3G is everywhere and it is difficult to resist the traps of the materialistic outside world. Even before this, the arrival of televisions also had an impact. “We used to eat dinner in a circle, but now we all sit in a U shape,” a Bhutanese local joked to me.
Bitcoin and biodiversity
There is a need for improvement, but this undoubtedly comes at a cost; Usually this is the environment. Part of the Awareness City master plan includes a new hydroelectric dam, an industry that has overtaken tourism as the country’s main source of income.
But organizers insist nature is at the forefront of the project: residential areas will be low-density and low-rise, transport will run on clean energy, and biodiversity corridors will allow elephants and other wildlife to move freely. These claims are perfectly plausible to follow, given that the power lines in the Phobjikha Valley are carefully laid underground so as not to disturb the flocks of black-necked cranes that arrive from Tibet every October.
Moreover, future plans are mostly in the area of less intrusive technology: blockchain projects, green cryptocurrency mining and drone testing are already underway. “With our cool temperatures and hydroelectric power, we could become a major hub for data centers,” an ambitious Bhutanese politician told me.
Bhutan plan
Bitcoins are a far cry from the lucky coins showered on Buddhas in temples, but all these changes have positive benefits for tourism, too. Flights are limited and expensive seats are selling out quickly in Paro, which is considered by pilots to be one of the most difficult airports to land at. A new airport with a better location will undoubtedly facilitate access.
Jigme Dorji, a local guide working through the TravelLocal platform, predicts that the City of Awareness could even be a blueprint for future tourism.
“It comes at a time when slow travel and prioritizing rest and health are at the forefront of travelers’ minds. There are aspects of Bhutanese tourism that position the country as a pioneer and from which we can all learn; especially preserving cultural traditions and avoiding overtourism.
Bhutan has always been a master of intrigue: visitors will no doubt flock to Gelephu just to see what it’s like.
“It will take the collective effort of every Bhutanese to make this a success,” says a spokesperson for the Bhutan Mindfulness City media team, aware of the many challenges ahead. “What Bhutan lacks in numbers and economic capacity, it will have to make up for in energy and creativity.”
The doors of the kingdom are wide open and truly open. Time will tell whether his potential can be revealed.