Bhutan travel specialist Druk Asia – also the sole representative of Royal Bhutan Airlines (DrukAir) – launched its MICE Bhutan division earlier this year, dedicated to bespoke event planning for business events and bleisure travellers.
Joni Herison, managing director of Druk Asia, told TTGmice: “Our goal is to go beyond traditional MICE events, offering unique itineraries for organisations seeking meaningful, purpose-driven experiences.”
To support this goal, Druk Asia recently launched a Philanthropy Tour for corporate groups, which Herison described as being “curated for groups seeking to gain a deeper appreciation of local culture and embrace mindfulness”.
Herison added: “We will gradually add more philanthropy tours for MICE participants to contribute to sustainable projects aligned with Gelephu Mindfulness City’s (a planned Special Administrative Region in Bhutan designed to be a green, sustainable economic hub) goals.”
Interestingly, stargazing experiences is another addition to Bhutan’s business events offerings, in partnership with GovTech Bhutan. These sessions combine astronomy, astrology, and Bhutanese cultural storytelling, allowing guests to engage with constellations, planets, and other celestial phenomena in ways that are both educational and culturally enriching.
Druk Asia is also encouraging event planners to host events at the National Museum of Bhutan, to support fundraising efforts by Bhutan’s Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development.
“Venue rental fees contribute directly to a Building Fund that will help transform Bhutan’s museums into vibrant hubs for community engagement, dialogue on global challenges, and international cultural exchange,” stated Herison.
As to which countries have shown the strongest interest in Bhutan as a business events destination, Herison pointed to Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the US.
He told TTGmice: “We recently received a request from a multinational company seeking a unique setting for their annual incentive trip for employees in Asia. We are also seeing more enquiries from international companies for business mission trips, and private banks looking for client-hosting experiences, as sustainability and impact reporting become a priority for global organisations.”
Moving forward, Herison aims to bring in more leadership retreats, boardroom meetings, and impact learning journeys for corporates to Bhutan.
When asked if Bhutan’s Sustainable Development Fee waiver – available for groups for up to four nights per event excluding travel days – is helping to drum up interest, Herison said: “While the SDF waiver is a helpful incentive under certain conditions, our focus is on ensuring companies see hosting events in Bhutan as an investment in impact travel. In cases where waivers apply, we encourage groups to consider channelling those savings towards cultural preservation or community engagement projects.”
