WHAT IS SDF?

Greetings dear travellers,

My name is Kinga and in this blog you can find out what is SDF & how it is used. The Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) is a daily levy paid by visitors to support Bhutan’s development. Since the kingdom first opened its doors in 1974, guests have played a critical role in our country’s growth.

The SDF is collected by the national exchequer and funds are allocated to various projects that create long-term, sustainable opportunities for the Bhutanese people, through:

1. Free healthcare

2. Education and training

3. Upskilling the tourism and hospitality industry

4. Improved infrastructure

5. Environmental preservation and conservation

6. Cultural preservation programmes and initiatives that support local businesses and economies.

Further, the SDF is also a vital means of maintaining the exceptional forest cover and carbon-neutrality for which our small nation is world-renowned and globally critical. The SDF also helps us to ensure that we can continue to offer guests tranquillity and an intimate experience. 

From my experience interacting with the guests, most guest's feel that the fee levied is hefty and it doesn't make sense. But once we explain to them how the money so collected is used and spent, then almost everyone sees the bigger picture and ultimately come's to this conclusion that it is infact a very good initiative. 
Apart from the above reasons, some other benefits of having this SDF in place are:

1. Keeps out backpackers and budget travellers thereby ensuring Bhutan alway's remain a high end destination. 

2. Eliminates over-crowding. As you all are aware, how negatively over-crowding of places affects your experience. 

3. Reduces pollution in the form of carbon footprint & waste generated. 

Bhutan has been a carbon negative country and having this measure in place will ensure that Bhutan can maintain this status of carbon negativity for generations. Come to Bhutan & feel the difference and see for yourself if it is worth paying the SDF.