TLF Holidays: A Sustainable Travel Company
TLF Holidays is committed to responsible and sustainable tourism, ensuring that every journey we organize respects Bhutan’s environment, culture, and communities. As a sustainable travel agency, we integrate eco-friendly practices, cultural preservation, and community engagement into all our tours. From minimizing environmental impact and promoting local businesses to educating travelers on responsible practices, we strive to create meaningful experiences that benefit both our guests and the destinations they visit.
We actively collaborate with local communities to generate direct economic benefits, support cultural preservation, and protect natural resources. Our initiatives include promoting small-group treks, using LPG instead of firewood for high-altitude cooking, sourcing local food, and implementing rigorous waste management practices. In our offices, we uphold sustainability through paperless operations, recycled materials, energy-efficient lighting, and plans to transition traveler transportation to electric vehicles.
We believe that these sustainable practices create a mutually beneficial relationship between travelers and local communities, fostering respect, pride, and shared responsibility for Bhutan’s natural and cultural heritage.
TLF Holidays Sustainability Policy
TLF Holidays engages with multiple stakeholders—tour guides, agencies, hotels, transport providers, and restaurants—and recognizes its key role in promoting sustainable tourism. Our sustainability framework focuses on maximizing positive impacts and minimizing negative effects across all aspects of our operations.
Key Themes and Principles
Sustainability Management & Legal Compliance
Implement a transparent sustainability policy to reduce social, cultural, economic, and environmental impacts. o Ensure compliance with all national legislation, regulations, and codes of practice.
Internal Management: Social Policy & Human Rights
Uphold fair employment practices, employee rights, and safe working conditions.
Internal Management: Environment & Community Relations
Encourage environmentally friendly practices, sustainable sourcing, energy reduction, and preservation of culturally significant sites.
Partner Agencies
Promote sustainable practices among partners through awareness campaigns, and collaboration.
Transport
Select transport options that minimize pollution while balancing comfort and affordability.
Accommodation
Prefer to partner with hotels and lodges that follow sustainability and quality standards, including energy and water conservation, waste management, and staff training.
Excursions & Activities
Ensure activities respect wildlife, environment, and local communities, while promoting local products and traditions.
Tour Leaders, Local Representatives & Guides
Employ locals, ensure fair working conditions, and train staff to educate guests on sustainability, cultural norms, and social issues.
Destination Management
Minimize negative impacts at destinations, support biodiversity conservation, and integrate sustainable practices into tours.
Customer Communication & Protection
Ensure marketing is honest and informative, encourage use of local services, and educate clients on legal and ethical considerations for artifacts, wildlife, and cultural items.
By implementing these policies, TLF Holidays aims to create responsible travel experiences that benefit both our guests and the communities and environments we operate in, ensuring that tourism in Bhutan remains sustainable, culturally rich, and environmentally sound.
The Sustainable Development Fee (SDF)
Bhutan reopened tourism to international tourism on 23 September 2022, following a closure of nearly two and a half years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon reopening, a significant reform in Bhutan’s tourism policy was introduced — the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) — designed to uphold Bhutan’s long-standing vision of a high-value, low-volume tourism model and ensure the nation remains a premium, sustainable travel destination.
Policy Background
In June 2022, the National Assembly of Bhutan passed the Tourism Levy Bill 2022, marking a major policy shift. The SDF, which was previously USD 65 per person per night for international visitors, was revised to USD 200 per person per night. Additionally, the former Minimum Daily Package Rate (MDPR) system was discontinued, giving travelers greater flexibility in planning their trips.
For regional tourists from India, the new bill introduced an SDF of INR 1,200 per person per night, and US$15 per person per night to travelers from Bangladesh and Maldives, which was previously exempt. The fee is levied in addition to all logistical and service costs, including accommodation, meals, guides, transportation, and related travel arrangements.
Travel Flexibility
Under the revised system, visitors are no longer required to book exclusively through licensed tour operators; they may now plan and book directly with hotels and service providers. Tourists are issued a 90-day visa, offering the flexibility to enter and exit Bhutan within that period. However, booking through a registered Bhutanese travel agency remains highly recommended, as agencies offer professional expertise in itinerary planning, logistics management, and ensuring a seamless and enriching travel experience.
SDF Implementation
The policy initially faced significant resistance from tourism stakeholders, particularly tour operators and hoteliers, who were concerned about potential declines in business. In response to these challenges, the government revised the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) and, by the end of 2023, reduced it to the current rate of US$100 per person per night.