Geophysical and Cultural Realities: Tourism Policy of Bhutan and Maldives

Bhutan and Maldives have limited tourist arrivals primarily targeting quality tourists. This policy of targeting quality tourism is driven by geophysical and cultural realities undergirded by domestic frameworks. This chapter examines the literature related to constrained environments in tourist destinations that play a big role in determining the outcome of policy approaches and its implementation. Addressing the gap in tourism literature, the research locates the constraints in the two countries and how those limitations have steered the creation and implementation of policy approaches. Based on field observations and extensive library research, the two destinations are profiled as case studies combined with a synthesis of the literature.