The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is noted for its stunning scenery, which range from snow-capped peaks to valleys to subtropical plains, rivers to dense forests. Not many know that the country has made environmental conservation one of the four pillars of its Gross National Happiness concept. For instance, Bhutan is required by the constitution to conserve 60 per cent of its forests. According to reports, the country currently has roughly 72 per cent of its territory covered in forests. This Himalayan nation has also wisely invested in its renewable resources and managed to cut down its carbon emissions.
Bhutan hosts several festivals throughout the year which attract many visitors. The recently concluded annual Royal Highland Festival held in Laya village in the Gasa district posed several challenges due to the number of people, resulting in authorities thinking about how to host the popular festival while retaining the local culture and minimising environmental damage. This year the festival had drawn more than 2,000 visitors.
According to Bhutan's Department of Tourism (DoT), the Royal Highland Festival in the remote highland village of Laya aims to celebrate, promote, and preserve the life and culture of the nomadic highland people of Bhutan, as well as to support their economy, exhibit the beauty and wonders of the highlands, and laud their resilience.
According to Bhutan Live, Laya people have decided that the solution rests in the concepts of ecotourism, which the Bhutanese government describes as responsible travel that fits with Gross National Happiness and implements a "high-value low-volume" tourist policy.
To do this, the Dzongkhag (district) and Gewog (block) administrations work closely with the local community, delegating responsibilities and ownership throughout the preparation, festival, and post-festival periods. This strategy helps Laya to preserve its natural environment while benefiting from tourism.
The children of Laya, accompanied by their teachers, went through neighbourhoods with gunnysacks, collecting waste left over from the celebration and demonstrating the village's dedication to cleanliness. Following the event, representatives from each home dismantled tents and cleaned up the area on Langothang, the festival grounds. De-suups, a volunteer organisation in Bhutan, have also contributed by collecting rubbish from the festival grounds and transporting it to Wangdue for proper disposal, according to Bhutan Live.
The community also has homestay and porter businesses, wherein profits are shared among members. Around 74 of Laya's 280 houses welcome visitors, allowing a rare chance for both Bhutanese and international tourists to live with Layap families, learn about their everyday lives and culture, and share meals together as a family. To ensure fair pricing, homestay tariffs are set by dzongkhag and gewog committee members.
According to Bhutan Live, the festival not only celebrates Laya's distinct culture and natural beauty, but it also acts as a shining example of sustainable and responsible tourism. Laya maintains its popularity as a cultural and ecotourism hotspot while protecting its environment and cultural history by actively incorporating the community, encouraging cleanliness, and embracing ecotourism ideals.
If you are planning to travel to Bhutan, here's some good news. By 2026, you can travel to Bhutan from India by train as the Indian government has allocated a significant budget for the development of a 57.5 km railway line connecting Assam and Bhutan