The remote nation has been on the bucket list of many travellers with its majestic landscapes and temples, but the Himalayan kingdom wants to showcase its tech credentials in its latest project.
Bhutanverse is designed to provide a gateway to the country as well as show off its tech sector. It is not the first time the country has made a digital push, with officials touting an information technology park and $US1bn ($1.52bn) “education city” – an idea that was shut down a decade ago.
But the Bhutan government’s investment arm Druk Holdings & Investments has been moving to bolster its digital credentials.
It partnered with Nasdaq-listed Bitdeer to raise $US500m to develop sustainable bitcoin mining operations last year. And the country – which didn’t have television until the late 1990s – now has almost 100 per cent mobile phone coverage. It now wants to attract more developers, offering a slice of what it has to offer via the Bhutanverse.
“We are looking at the metaverse from a much larger perspective than just the tourism aspect,” DHI chief executive Ujjwal Deep Daha said.
“We want a more diverse group of innovators to look at the platform, and it’s also a channel and way of communication to the whole world that we want investment, but investments that we intend to get into, considering Bhutan.
“If you look at the happiness index, the environment is what we preserve, the tradition and culture. So within the context of the GNH (Gross National Happiness Index) we want to ensure we have the right minds and investors and of course, the metaverse is one of the platforms of bringing people together.”
Bhutan has operated on “high value, low volume” tourism since it opened its doors in 1974 in an effort to prevent the glut of hikers and trampled paths in nearby Nepal. Its Gross National Happiness Index measures the wellbeing of its citizens, and charges tourists a daily fee of $US200 and only a few thousand visit each year.
While its location and the cost of travelling to Bhutan may put some people off, Bhutanverse a more accessible and cheaper alternative, with people able to experience the country from their living rooms.
The art gallery inside Bhutanverse.
Jigdrel Singay, an analyst at DHI’s innovation and technology department Innotech, said Bhutanverse also showcases non-fungible token artwork as well as allows people to play games related to Bhutan’s history and culture.
“Once you enter the space as an avatar, you will get to see Bhutanese art pieces that are non-fungible tokens. It gives you exposure to the Bhutanese artists, but they’ve transformed the art pieces to digital art pieces using blockchain technology,” Mr Singay said.
Bhutanverse is a collaboration between metaverse architecture agency Smobler and Sandbox, a leading decentralised virtual gaming world. A key near-term objective for the Bhutanverse is to develop strategic partnerships with global metaverse players to expand the project’s reach and influence.
Phuntsho Namgay, officiating director with DHI’s Department of Innovation and Technology said: “In many ways, DHI’s exploration of the Metaverse embodies Bhutan’s core philosophy of developing technology that incorporates Bhutanese values and culture”.
“Working together with design experts like Smobler, the Bhutanese team was able to bring their creative vision to fruition within the Metaverse. We’re now exploring further programs to further leverage the team’s capacity to execute impactful projects while also growing Bhutan’s community of metaverse enthusiasts.”
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