Gelephu Mindfulness City launched Tourism Spark Fund with 40 investment opportunities

Gelephu Mindfulness City has launched the Tourism Spark Fund, offering 40 investment opportunities aimed at expanding Bhutan's wellness, cultural, and sustainable tourism sectors.

The Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) has introduced a new investment initiative aimed at accelerating tourism development by inviting private sector participation in 40 tourism attractions and experiences.

Launched during the GMC Tourism Investment Opportunity Forum on 22 June, the Tourism Spark Fund is designed to help bridge financing gaps that often limit tourism start-ups and small businesses. The initiative also provides investors with a pipeline of investment-ready projects aligned with GMC's vision of becoming Bhutan's leading destination for mindfulness, wellness, and sustainable living.

The forum brought together Bhutanese entrepreneurs, investors, and tourism stakeholders to explore opportunities ranging from large-scale infrastructure to community-based tourism experiences. Officials said the programme is open to additional proposals beyond the projects already identified.

A diverse tourism investment pipeline

The investment portfolio includes 20 tourism attractions and 20 tourism activities available for private investment.

Among the larger projects are hot spring resorts, wellness farm retreats, heritage villages, riverfront promenades, capsule hotel retreats, birdwatching eco-lodges, glamping resorts, cable cars, alpine coasters, adventure theme parks, and river sports hubs.

The portfolio aims to create a balanced tourism offering that combines wellness, cultural experiences, family attractions, eco-tourism, and adventure tourism throughout the year.

Other proposed attractions include a Bhutanese culinary studio and chef's table, eco-cycle hubs with scenic cycling trails, aerial adventure parks, food halls, dessert streets, and children's nature discovery centres. These projects are intended to provide opportunities for both local entrepreneurs and larger investors.

Supporting year-round tourism

Managing Director of Tourism GMC, Rabsel Dorji, said the Tourism Spark Fund will provide investors with access to investment-ready projects while encouraging the development of innovative tourism experiences.

“Tourism attractions are intended to create year-round visitor experiences while supporting accommodation, food, recreation, and cultural sectors,” he said.

The tourism portfolio includes a wide range of experiences designed to encourage year-round visitation. Flagship opportunities include wellness retreats, eco-lodges, glamping resorts, cultural tourism ventures, festivals, and experiential tourism products that reflect GMC's identity as a mindfulness city.

Opportunities for small businesses

Alongside larger developments, GMC has identified several tourism products requiring relatively modest investment.

These include:

• Outdoor film festivals with estimated investments between USD 10,000 and USD 15,000.

• Art and culture fairs requiring between USD 10,000 and USD 20,000.

• Lantern river evening experiences with estimated investments of USD 10,000 to USD 20,000.

Tourism planners have also proposed a recurring riverfront night bazaar that would transform the waterfront into a cultural and social gathering space. The project is expected to require between USD 25,000 and USD 50,000 and could attract up to 5,000 visitors in a single evening.

Additional opportunities include farmers' and wellness markets, Bhutanese food and culture weekends, and craft trails that connect visitors with local artisans and traditional skills.

Rabsel Dorji said these initiatives would broaden tourism offerings while creating direct economic opportunities for local communities and small businesses.

Bridging the financing gap

According to GMC officials, access to finance remains one of the biggest challenges facing tourism entrepreneurs, particularly start-ups and smaller enterprises.

The Tourism Spark Fund is intended to address this challenge by helping investors and entrepreneurs turn viable concepts into operational tourism businesses.

Industry stakeholders attending the forum welcomed the initiative, noting that combining targeted financial support with a pipeline of investment-ready projects could accelerate GMC's growth as a tourism destination.

Building a complete tourism ecosystem

Rabsel Dorji said the GMC tourism master plan is being developed as a comprehensive system rather than focusing on individual policies.

“Our tourism policy is not just about the Sustainable Development Fee or a single regulation, it is about building an entire ecosystem that is pro-business, investor-friendly, and designed to generate economic opportunities for Bhutanese through jobs and enterprise creation,” he said.

He added that the approach includes guides, tour operators, hotels, quality standards, and certification systems, emphasising that tourism requires coordinated policies across the entire sector.

Rabsel Dorji also highlighted the importance of balancing tourism growth with long-term sustainability.

“We must attract more tourists while carefully regulating investment so that we do not end up with oversupply that undermines businesses and the sector’s long-term sustainability,” he said.

Looking ahead

The Tourism Spark Fund represents one of the first major initiatives to attract private investment into Gelephu Mindfulness City's tourism sector. By combining investment-ready projects with financial support and long-term planning, GMC aims to build a tourism ecosystem that creates economic opportunities while supporting Bhutan's broader vision of sustainable and mindful development.