TENZIN LHAKI | Thimphu
The tourism promotional film Bhutan Believe has been recognised as one of the world’s best tourism films of 2025 at the World Tourism Film Awards, held on December 5 in Guimarães, Portugal.
Produced by the Department of Tourism in collaboration with Studio Khonsu, the film earned international acclaim following its strong performance across the CIFFT Circuit—the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals’ global competitive platform for tourism audiovisual content.
Over the course of the year, Bhutan Believe competed against more than 4,000 tourism films from over 50 countries across major international festivals within the CIFFT network. The film secured multiple awards in key categories, including storytelling, direction, and destination promotion.
The film has been widely praised for its lyrical storytelling, striking visuals, and emotional depth. Rather than portraying Bhutan solely as a travel destination, Bhutan Believe presents the country as a place of reflection, meaning, and connection—capturing its spirituality, natural beauty, and living traditions through a contemporary lens. The narrative reflects Bhutan’s identity as a destination rooted in authenticity, sustainability, and inner discovery.
“We are deeply honoured to see the Bhutan Believe promotional film recognised once again on a global platform. This is excellent news for Bhutan, particularly for our tourism industry,” said Damcho Rinzin, Director of the Department of Tourism. “The film was designed to offer an immersive experience rather than just visual appeal, inviting travellers into something emotional, spiritual, and personal. This recognition shows that the world is connecting with Bhutan not just as a destination, but as a philosophy.”
The World Tourism Film Awards, organised by CIFFT and the Municipality of Guimarães with support from Tourism Porto and North of Portugal, and in collaboration with UN Tourism, honoured 32 outstanding tourism productions from 18 countries. The awards celebrate excellence in creativity, innovation, and strategic communication in global tourism marketing.
The international recognition of Bhutan Believe further strengthens Bhutan’s reputation as one of the world’s most meaningful travel destinations and positions the country at the forefront of purpose-driven tourism communication.
The International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals (CIFFT) is the world’s leading platform for tourism audiovisual competitions, coordinating a prestigious global circuit of festivals dedicated to destination marketing, travel filmmaking, and tourism storytelling. Its annual rankings are recognised globally as a benchmark for excellence in tourism communication through film.
