Bhutan needs a comprehensive policy on tourism
20 July 2004 – The Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), Mr. Francesco Frangialli, who was on a two-day visit to Bhutan said that the country needed to have a comprehensive policy on tourism if it was to reap maximum benefits in the industry.
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Speaking to Kuensel, Mr. Francesco Frangialli said that tourism was a sector which was related to many branches of the economy and the society. To develop it successfully, conditions must be put in place. For example infrastructure, basic public services, sanitation and electricity besides others.”You need to train people, you need security, you need appropriate procedures for entering the country and reasonably good accommodation.”
Tourism could be good and bad, Mr. Francesco Frangialli said. Good because it could create a lot of activities. It could create jobs, especially for villagers, women and youth. It was the number one sector in the world economy, he said. At the same time, he said, tourism could endanger the country’s culture, traditional values and environment.
“So tourism is best if developed in a sustainable and a responsible manner that has respect for culture, traditional values and environment but at the same time that brings in money to the economy.”
The trade and industry minister, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, told Kuensel that Mr. Francesco Frangialli’s visit was important because Bhutan was at a crossroad.
“We are at a stage where we are reviewing our past policies and trying to look at building the infrastructure, training personnel and we need the support from the experts,” Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba said. “WTO has the expertise and the knowledge to help us in training our people and extend other expertise to improve our tourism.” Bhutan joined WTO in February 2003. WTO is a coalition of countries interested in developing tourism with 143 members and about 350 affiliate members from the private sector and universities.
In a career covering several years and fields, Mr. Francesco Frangialli was a teacher, a soldier (he is a reserve officer in the naval supply service in his country), a junior magistrate, adviser to the minister, and is also an author of three books on tourism.
He was the director of the tourism industry in France. He was elected secretary general of WTO from 1989-2001 and re-elected for the period 2002-2005. He led the transformation of WTO into a specialised agency of the UN from December 2003.
“Bhutan has the potential to become a unique tourist destination in Asia,” Mr. Francesco Frangialli said. “It has rich natural environment and such rich culture. But this depends on the government and its people how they make use of it.”
Source: Kuensel