Bhutan’s happiness is peaceful and the spirituality of the people of Bhutan. When you travel to Bhutan and enjoy your beautiful vacation in Bhutan with the people of Bhutan. You will get a real taste of Bhutan’s Happiness. It is not the measurement you take of happiness of the place with all scientific formula but you experience the real happiness of how Bhutanese live with the environment. Bhutan is been ranked as the happiest country in all of Asia in the world according to Business Week.
It is the only country in the world to measure Gross Domestic Product(GDP) by the happiness of the people i.e. Gross National Happiness (GNH). It is the philosophy that guides the government of Bhutan. It includes an index that is used to measure the collective happiness and well-being of a population. It is enshrined in Bhutan’s Constitution, which was enacted on 18 July 2008.
The Philosophy of the term “Gross National Happiness” was first initiated in the year 1979 by the fourth King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuck when he was asked questions by the media on the Economy. He said, “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product”.
In 2012 Jigme Y. Thinley the first Prime minister of Bhutan and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon sat together for well-being and Happiness. The outcome was the issue of the country-wise happiness report and on 20th March was declared to be the International Day of Happiness by the UN with resolution 66/28.
The process of measuring happiness began when Bhutan was just opening the door to the outside world with the term “Globalization”. Happiness in Bhutan is all about people’s quality of life. The life of the people of Bhutan should be balanced in the way “material and spiritual development happens together.” Bhutan is still balancing in such a way and it is ranked as the happiest country in all of Asia. It is also considered the eighth Happiest Country in the world according to Business Week. Bhutan is also the second-fastest-growing GDP in the world.
Gross National Happiness is a global indicator of progress, which measures both a sustainable economy and social development while protecting the environment and culture of the country. Gross National Happiness is based on four pillars and 9 dimensions.
1. Promotion of sustainable development
2. The preservation and promotion of cultural values,
3. The conservation of the natural environment,
4. The establishment of good governance.
Bhutan Happiness is charged with implementing the Gross National Happiness Commission by the team of the Prime Minister of Bhutan as the Chairperson, Secretaries of each ministry, and the Secretary of the GNH Commission. The GNH Commission is like the Ministry of Planning of any country. It executes Five year Plan of the country line with Four pillars and 9 domains. The GNH Index is used to measure the Bhutan happiness and well-being of Bhutan’s population.
The Gross National Happiness Survey was conducted in the year 2008. The GNH survey covers all twenty districts of Bhutan collecting data with all necessary indicators aligned with four pillars. The data collected is used to compare the Bhutan happiness between different groups of people in Bhutan with changes in the time factor. According to the World Happiness Report 2018, Bhutan’s happiness was ranked 97th out of 156 countries.
The result of GNH towards achieving only carbon negative in the world is protecting the environment of the country. Bhutan developed the policy of maintaining 72 % of forest coverage and it is well-versed in the constitution of Bhutan. The Bhutan tourism policy of high value, low impact is still on the line to balance the economy without affecting the people and the environment.
In many countries like Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and Bhutan Happiness GNH survey was used to check happiness. In Seattle, Washington, the United States of America GNH Index was used to assess the happiness and well-being of the people. Many areas of North America also used Bhutan Happiness Indicators. In 2016, Thailand introduced the GNH center. The King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, was a close friend of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck and had a similar thought and practice of the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy.
Bhutan for Tourism Industry is the second largest revenue earner to the Exchequer of Bhutan. Bhutan Tourism in aligning with Gross National Happiness and sustainability is very important to the people of Bhutan and ultimately to the country. Maximization of profits in the tourism Industry cannot be ignored and look after the happiness of the people. The increased flow of tourists in Bhutan results in mass tourism and destroys the environment, degrading of culture and traditions of the people. The government studies and implement plan and policies to protect the four pillars of GNH.
Bhutan is the first country to be negative in carbon emissions in the world. It benefitted society and the world as a whole. The main objective of the country is to work out public and private partnership cooperation within the tourism industry. A Bhutan visa is not on arrival one needs to follow rules and procedures to obtain the visa. He or she has to undergo the procedure for a Bhutan visa entry permit Bhutan. Bhutan’s sustainable tourism society should not be ruled out when we see what is happening to other countries.
“Bhutan Happiness is a place ” likely refers to the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) in Bhutan. Bhutan is located in the Eastern Himalayas between China in the north and India in the south. It is known for the well-being of Happiness is the place of its citizens over the Gross National Product. The term “Bhutan Happiness” might signify a strong emphasis on the happiness and quality of life of its people.
Gross National Happiness (GNH) is a holistic approach to the economic development of the country but also to social, cultural, environmental, and spiritual well-being. So Bhutan Tourism Policy workout is also based on Bhutan Happiness is a place. The SDF increase from US$65 to US$200 per person per night is in relation to Happiness is a place where Government can collect revenue and provide the proper approach to the development goals of the country.
Bhutan’s approach to measuring and emphasizing happiness has gained international attention worldwide.