World Tourism Day: Goals for India - Bhutan all set to become 100% organic by 2020

World Tourism Day, another day to celebrate travelling. While a number of conferences and events are set to take place on the occasion, we opine that the tourism day needs to be more than discussions and panels. Steering away from all the regular discussions, it is perhaps time to take cue from Bhutan. A tiny Himalayan nation when compared to its neighbouring countries, including India and China, Bhutan has its eyes set on being the first nation in the world to be 100% organic.
Yes, Bhutan aims to be the first 100% organic nation by 2020. So, while the rest of the world is busy speaking at conventions, Bhutan is leading from the front. Closer home, India has Sikkim as its first 100% organic state. Needless to say, the state is much more than just a regular tourist destinations for people flocking from all over the world and India. Look closer, and you will find that both the places are mostly free from plastic, a fact that is nothing less than a feat.


If India has to take cues from Bhutan’s tourism model, it is imperative to know that Bhutan’s Tourism Policy adheres to principles of sustainability. The policies also make sure that all tourist activities are environment-friendly and are socially as well as culturally acceptable, and is economically viable as well. The country also keeps a close watch on the number of tourists flocking in, and does not allow more travellers than its ecology can support.
So yes, while this World Tourism Day is largely about another round of conferences and panel discussions, India’s Himalayan neighbour is shaking the world in more ways than the world can imagine in its own zen-like ways.