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Bhutan’s double bet: Mindfulness and nature to drive tourism and investment

At the heart of the country’s transformation is the Gelephu Mindfulness City, an urban project thrice the size of Singapore

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Tan Ai Leng

Tan Ai Leng

Published Fri, Jul 18, 2025 · 11:33 AM
    • At the National Memorial Chorten, people turn prayer wheels – a spiritual practice believed to accumulate merit and cleanse negative karma.
    • The 900-year-old iron bridge at Tachog Lhakhang, a private monastery run by the descendants of Thangtong Gyalpo, the greatest engineer in Bhutanese history.
    • At the National Memorial Chorten, people turn prayer wheels – a spiritual practice believed to accumulate merit and cleanse negative karma. PHOTO: TAN AI LENG, BT
    • The 900-year-old iron bridge at Tachog Lhakhang, a private monastery run by the descendants of Thangtong Gyalpo, the greatest engineer in Bhutanese history. PHOTO: TAN AI LENG, BT

    [THIMPHU, BHUTAN] Bhutan, long regarded as one of the world’s most serene and isolated destinations, is opening a new chapter – one that seeks to blend its spiritual heritage with modern economic ambitions.

    At the heart of this transformation is the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a massive urban project in southern Bhutan, designed to attract high-quality foreign direct investment while preserving the kingdom’s ethos of Gross National Happiness.

    Envisioned as both an economic and spiritual hub, the Mindfulness City represents a bold experiment in development, in which governance is rooted in Bhutanese values, yet informed by globally recognised frameworks for transparency, regulation and innovation.

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