-KH News Desk (cbedit@imaws.org)
Lemon Tree Hotels Limited recently announced the opening of their new property, Lemon Tree Resort in Thimphu, Bhutan. The property will be their second in the country and the city.
Talking about their newest launch, the property will feature 60 well-equipped rooms and a villa. It will also consist of Slounge, the hip recreation bar, and Citrus Café, a multi-cuisine coffee shop. Additionally, the resort has banquet spaces that can be used for wedding functions and corporate meetings. Not only that but it can also be used as a kid’s room to keep the little guests entertained.
Out of 60 rooms, 48 rooms and a villa opened today as part of phase I of the initial launch. The remaining rooms along with a well-equipped fitness centre, a refreshing heated swimming pool and Fresco, a rejuvenating spa will open in part of phase II.
Nestled in the eastern Himalayas, Bhutan is a landlocked country known for its natural beauty, cultural richness, spiritual serenity, and unique blend of ancient traditions and modernity. Lemon Tree Resort, Thimphu, Bhutan, seamlessly blends with the surrounding forest, reflecting the country’s harmonious connection with nature.
Travellers can explore popular tourist destinations and various attractions such as the Buddha Dordenma Statue, a gigantic Buddha statue overlooking the city, and the Folk Heritage Museum, which showcases Bhutanese culture and rural life.
Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay recently stated that the country’s economy as “on the brink of collapse” in a November 2023 election manifesto for his People’s Democratic Party, citing an average economic growth rate of just 1.7% over five years. As a result, Bhutan is seeing high levels of youth unemployment and dwindling foreign currency reserves. Tourism is seen as a major lever to pull.
Bhutan welcomed 103,000 visitors in 2023, about two-thirds below its pre-pandemic record reached in 2019. The new goal is to return as quickly as possible to just over 300,000 visitors annually, but with a more diverse consumer base. Bhutan would like to get at least half its visitors from non-Asian markets, specifically the US, Europe and Australia; Indian travellers accounted for more than 73% of total arrivals in the last full year before the 2020 COVID lockdowns.
