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SPA STUDY TOUR THE


THUNDER DRAGON


The four-day spa study tour focused on learning about traditional healing practices B


eautiful, heavenly, unique, tranquil, amazing, natural – or as most will know it – Bhutan. Tese were just some words used to describe the kingdom


of Bhutan by the 32 spa directors and con- sultants on the Asia Pacific Spa & Wellness Coalition’s (APSWC) Spa Study Tour 2011 in late July. Te impetus behind the tour, now in its third year, was to learn about authentic, traditional therapies and healing practices to appreciate how important it is to protect the roots of our industry.


THE LAST SHANGRI-LA


A 40,000sq km landlocked nation, Bhutan lies between Tibet, China and India at the eastern end of the Himalayas. It’s a relatively unex- plored destination and up until the 1970s, it had cut itself off from the outside world. While the country has slowly opened up to tourism, it was isolated and culturally pure for so long


– television did not arrive until 1999 – that it’s widely known as ‘the last Shangri-La’.


More than 30 spa professionals have just returned from Bhutan, the land of the thunder dragon, following an APSWC study tour. Chairman Andrew Jacka tells us what they discovered


It’s a country that, with a population of


only 700,000, has held onto its mythology and traditions. Locals refer to Bhutan as Druk Yul – the land of the thunder dragon – based on a myth about the dragon Druk who, using thunder as his voice, once proclaimed truths about Buddhist teachings. Te national dress remains common place – men still wear the gho, a knee-length robe with a cloth belt; while women wear a kira, an ankle-length dress clipped at one shoulder and tied at the waist. Social status and class determine the texture, colour and decorations. Ranging from subtropical plains in the


south, to Himalayan peaks reaching up to 7,000m (23,000ſt) in the north, Bhutan also boasts a land of unspoiled, natural beauty.


58 Read Spa Business online spabusiness.com / digital HIGH-VALUE TOURISM


Fiercely protective of its culture and tradi- tions, the Bhutanese have so far been wary of mass tourism and have controlled entries by a strict visa system. Under the system, vis- itors must travel as part of a pre-arranged group package or guided tour – from an offi- cially approved tour operator – and commit to a minimum daily tariff of us$200 (€146, £128), which is set to rise to us$250 (€183, £159) next year. Te tariff guarantees at least a three-star hotel and is inclusive of food and local transport, although to discourage back- packers in search of a cheap holiday, there is a surcharge of us$40 (€29, £26) per night for individuals, or us$30 (€22, £19) per night each for groups of two.


SPA BUSINESS 4 2011 ©Cybertrek 2011


PHOTO: ©MELINDA YON


ANDREW JACKA » CHAIRMAN » ASIA PACIFIC SPA & WELLNESS COALITION


PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ATTEM


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