With summer quietly making room for autumn, the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is gearing up its tourism economy through an all-out effort to make its ‘High Value, Low Volume’ tourism policy a grand success. What is also significant in this context is that with its Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) and emphasis on ecotourism, Bhutan’s fresh tourism initiative promises to impact upon Northeastern India in several ways. While Bhutan has laid emphasis on encouraging responsible tourism practices as one aspect which the Northeastern states should immediately look at with due seriousness, it is also the appropriate time for the region to work towards facilitating cross-border people-to-people and community-to-community connectivity. The two countries are already working closely towards improving cross-border connectivity through various infrastructure development projects. As far as Assam is concerned, it is also the right time to make the communities – particularly the student and youth segments of the state – talk more about Bhutan. While the Government of India has already launched several major infrastructure development and connectivity projects intended to support Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom too is developing its border towns touching Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. This collaboration, if carried forward in the right manner, will boost regional tourism, promote cultural exchange, and integrate Northeast India’s diverse offerings with Bhutan’s sustainable approach. Bhutan’s new tourism policy emphasizes ecotourism and community-based travel. Being the closest – geographically, culturally and ethnically – Bhutan’s initiatives should encourage the governments of the Northeastern states to adopt similar responsible practices to protect their sensitive ecosystems and support local communities. The Tourism Department of the Government of India and the Ministry for Development of the Northeastern Region (MDoNER) also have crucial roles to play in this aspect. The Government of Assam, in the meantime, has done well by creating two new national parks alongside Manas – all three along the Assam-Bhutan international boundary. This is a major step towards regional cooperation for sustainable development in the Eastern Himalayas. India’s development of cross-border infrastructure, including the upcoming railway line connecting Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Bhutan, for instance, is set to significantly boost connectivity, benefiting trade, tourism, and cultural exchange between the two regions. This is the right time to forge joint initiatives between Bhutan and the Northeast – Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in particular – for reaping the best by converting it into a win-win situation for both sides.