In the small, isolated Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, for the first time in around two years, an international tourist group has been on the road.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, there was only one tourist in the country last year - and she had to be in quarantine for three weeks according to the Corona rules at the time.
Each visa application was clarified in detail by various authorities and approved individually.
In the meantime, the measures have been relaxed somewhat.
The Buddhist travel group with a traveler from Bavaria only has to do five days of hotel quarantine.
This time is already part of the spiritual sojourn, said local tour operator Laxshi Sherpa.
Meanwhile, guests received yoga sessions and lessons from Buddhist clerics via video software.
Yoga sessions via video
The traveler from Bavaria said that spending time alone in the hotel room helps her to meditate and switch off.
The warm welcome at the airport, among other things, gave her the feeling that the locals appreciated having tourists in the country again.
Known for its Gross Happiness Product, according to which the general well-being of the people is more important than economic growth, the small country relies heavily on tourism.
Laxshi Sherpa says that she and her husband have not had a job for two years.
It wasn't easy, but it wasn't too bad either, she says.
The government helped.
King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, popular in the country, launched a program in which people received loans, tax exemption, deferral of electricity or rent bills, among other things.
Even before Corona, the kingdom relied on rather few guests, who then had to pay at least $250 per day in advance – for board and lodging, a travel guide, transport and a sustainability fee.
Corona has mastered the country well.
Most people are vaccinated and some minor outbreaks have been fought with tough lockdowns.
Since the beginning of this year, however, the number of cases in connection with Omicron has been increasing.