Preparations for the 9th Royal Highland Festival in Laya, Gasa, began today, as the community gets ready to welcome visitors for the two-day event scheduled for the 23rd and 24th of this month.
Local organisers and residents have started making arrangements to ensure that visitors have a comfortable stay and easy access to transportation during the festival. The annual event is expected to bring together people from different parts of the country, along with tourists and other visitors, to experience the unique culture and way of life of Bhutan’s highland communities.
According to sources, around 80 registered private homestays have been allocated to accommodate visitors during the festival. The homestays will provide visitors with places to stay while also creating income opportunities for local families.
Transportation services have also been arranged for the event. More than 200 horses and around 30 pickup trucks will be available to help transport visitors and support travel during the festival.
The arrangements are important as Laya is located in a highland area where transportation and accommodation can be challenging, especially when large numbers of visitors arrive at the same time.
The Royal Highland Festival is held every year to celebrate the culture, traditions and livelihoods of highland communities. It provides a platform for local people to share their customs, traditional skills, products and daily activities with visitors.
The festival also highlights the close relationship between the people of Laya and their natural surroundings. Traditional livelihoods, including livestock rearing and other highland activities, remain an important part of life in the community.
For the people of Laya, the festival is more than a cultural gathering. It is also an important opportunity to earn income and support local businesses. During the event, residents can offer services such as homestay accommodation and horse riding, while selling handicrafts and traditional highland products.
These activities allow local families to benefit directly from the visitors who come to attend the festival. Small businesses and service providers also get an opportunity to promote their products and reach new customers.
Residents say the festival has already brought benefits to the community by attracting visitors and creating business opportunities. They see the event as one of the major occasions that helps connect Laya with people from other parts of Bhutan and beyond.
Locals are now looking forward to this year’s festival, hoping that it will attract more visitors and bring greater economic benefits to the gewog.
They also hope that the event will help raise awareness of Laya’s unique culture and encourage more people to learn about the traditions and daily lives of highland communities.
With accommodation and transportation arrangements underway, the community is preparing to welcome guests for another edition of the festival.
As the 9th Royal Highland Festival approaches, residents remain hopeful that the event will not only celebrate their cultural identity but also create lasting benefits for local families, businesses and the wider community.
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