Feasibility Assessment of Wildlife & Nature-Based Tourism (NBT) in Bhutan through Private Sector Engagement
- Client: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
- Partners: Royal Government of Bhutan, Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS)
- Project Duration: May 1 - August 30, 2025
Project Overview
Solimar and WWF Bhutan, in collaboration with the Royal Government of Bhutan, explored opportunities to expand Bhutan’s tourism offerings by developing wildlife and nature-based tourism (NBT) to complement the country’s cultural tourism sector. WWF Bhutan and the Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS) identified potential sites and experiences (such as wildlife viewing, birding, and nature-focused recreation) and recognized that success depended on meaningful engagement from domestic and international private-sector tourism stakeholders.
Solimar’s work examined how the private sector was already participating in nature-based tourism in Bhutan and how those efforts aligned with Bhutan’s National Integrated Tourism Master Plan (2025–2034). The assessment surfaced the practical constraints that limited private-sector involvement—whether policy, operational, infrastructure, market, or investment-related—while also mapping where enabling conditions existed or could realistically be strengthened. In parallel, Solimar explored emerging opportunities identified by government and industry stakeholders, ultimately translating findings into a set of strategic recommendations and a roadmap designed to help WWF Bhutan and DoFPS catalyze, structure, and scale private-sector engagement and investment in NBT.
Major Activities
- Desk research and stakeholder mapping to identify relevant operators, associations, government entities, NGOs/CSOs, and potential investors connected to Bhutan’s NBT landscape.
- Primary consultations with private-sector and public-sector stakeholders through interviews and targeted outreach (including surveys and/or small-group discussions as appropriate) to capture current offerings, interest levels, constraints, and opportunity areas.
- Feasibility analysis and synthesis to prioritize the most viable destinations, experiences, and engagement pathways, and to identify the most material barriers to investment and growth.
- Roadmap development translating findings into practical steps to grow NBT products and strengthen enabling conditions for sustained private-sector participation.
Results
- Inception Report outlining the methodology, stakeholder list, and consultation plan.
- Draft Report summarizing findings and preliminary recommendations.
- Final Report presenting current conditions, key barriers and opportunities, prioritized recommendations, and an actionable roadmap (including mapping/spatial outputs where feasible).
