Learn English at CNN: Bhutan Tourism Restarts

1. Bhutan [buːˈtɑːn] Bhutan
2. set date 定定... day

Bhutan will reopen for international tourists from September for the first time since the pandemic began more than two years ago, officials said on June 30, as the tiny Himalayan kingdom looks to revive its economy.

1. Pandemic outbreak
2. Himalayan of the Himalayas
3. look to do hope; Hope; Dependence; Consider; Envisioned; prospect
4. revive [rɪˈvaɪv] enables recovery

Wedged between China and India, the country with scenic natural beauty and ancient Buddhist culture, took drastic early steps and banned tourism, a major source of income, in March 2020 when the first COVID-19 case was detected there.

1. wedge between and embedded in... middle
2. Scenic (scene) scenic
3. Buddhist[ˈbʊdɪst] Buddhist; Buddha's
4. drastic; Harsh
5. take steps to take steps

The constitutional monarchy of less than 800,000 people has reported fewer than 60,000 infections and only 21 deaths, but the $3 billion economy contracted in the last two fiscal years, pushing more people into poverty.

1. Constitutional monarchy Constitutional monarchy
2. Infection infection
3. Contract shrinks, shrinks
4. fiscal year fiscal year; fiscal year
5. poverty poverty

The Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) said tourists would be allowed to enter from September 23.

1. Council Committee

They will, however, be charged a Sustainable Development Fee of $200 per tourist per night, up from the $65 charged for three decades. Officials said the new fee would offset tourists' carbon impact.

1. Charge charges
2. sustainable sustainable; (The use of natural resources and energy) does not destroy the ecological balance, rational use
3. Fee fee
4. per
5. offset offset
6. Carbon carbon
7. Impact impact

"COVID-19 has allowed us to reset -- to rethink how the sector can be best structured and operated... while keeping carbon footprints low," Tandi Dorji, TCB chairman and the country's foreign minister, said in a statement.

1. reset adjustment; Reset
2. Rethink rethink
3. sector industry
4. Carbon footprint carbon footprint

Authorities said Bhutan had revised standards for service providers, such as hotels, guides, tour operators, and drivers.

1. authority authority; authorities
2. Revise revisions
3. Service provider service provider
4. Tour operator travel agency

Tourism employs 50,000 people and contributed an annual average of about $84 million in the three years before the pandemic in direct foreign exchange.

1. Tourism tourism
2. Contribute

Bhutan opened to high-end tourists in 1974 when it received 300 visitors. The number soared to 315,600 in 2019, up 15.1% from a year earlier, TCB data showed.

1. high-end high-end
2. Soar surges

Tour operators said visitors would be free to choose their own operators and plan itineraries, whereas before they could choose only from the packages offered by their operators.

1. itinerary [aɪˈtɪnəreri] itinerary
2. whereas is used to compare or contrast two facts) however, however
3. Package package

Sangay Phuntso, who runs the Always Bhutan Travel company in the capital Thimphu, said the fees may deter some, but not the wealthier visitors.

1. deter to stop; Block; Deterrence; Make not dare

"Those who can spend are welcome," Phuntso said. "We are excited."