Abstract
Features and mechanism of the official charge system in Bhutan with consideration of environmental preservations were clarified. The study includes on-site investigations between September 7th and 13th in 2008, interviews, and literature research. From the perspectives of Bhutan tourism and its history, the official charge system can be divided into four terms: 1) the introduction term of official charges, 2) the state-run initiative term, 3) the private management term, and 4) the term with foreign capital entry. It has been observed that the official charge prices have been repeatedly changed throughout these four terms in tourism. The official charges are also an important revenue source for Bhutan to earn foreign currency. The number of tourists exceeded 20,000 in 2007 by the entry of foreign luxury resort hotels. Future maintenance of official charges with consideration of nature preservations was studied, albeit the increase in the number of tourists.
