Bhutan, a remote Himalayan nation that charges tourists hundreds of dollars a day to visit, wants to triple the number of foreign visitors by 2012.

The insular Himalayan kingdom, famed for its adoption of “gross domestic happiness” as the key measurement of its success, has so far targeted visitors with deep pockets in a deliberate policy to promote “high value” tourism.

The online version of Bhutan’s state-owned Kuensel newspaper said Thimpu expected more than 30,000 tourists in 2010 in a first step to meet an ambitious target of luring 100,000 wealthy tourists to the hilly country by 2012.

Chinese tourists to France increased their spending massively on tax-free luxury goods last year despite the economic crisis, overtaking cash-strapped Russians.

The Chinese bought tax-free goods worth 158 million euros (222.5 million dollars) in France in 2009.

That was an increase of 47 percent from the level the previous year, according to Global Refund, a company specialising in tax-free shopping for tourists.

Abu Dhabi has announced ambitious environmental targets for 2010, promising to slash energy, water and waste-to-landfill usage.

The targets, announced January 3 by the Abu Dhabi tourism authority, commit Abu Dhabi to a 10-percent energy cut, 20-percent water usage cut and 20-percent waste-to-landfill cut.

If delivered, Abu Dhabi believes its hotels will be in line with, if not greener, than the world’s greenest hotels.

Tourism in 2009 defied the credit crunch, gave us even more spectacular resorts and offered up unparalleled levels of luxury.

A round-up of the year’s best luxury travel places and openings.

1 -The New Yorker Hotel

Located in an 80-year-old Art Deco building, the legendary New Yorker Hotel completed a five-year $70 million renovation project in January.

2 – Mandarin Oriental Sanya, China

Private villas with individual plunge pools are standard lodgings at the Mandarin Oriental Sanya resort on Hainan Island, just off the Vietnam coast.

The resort opened in March.

Chuck Feeney, the billionaire philanthropist, is to co-fund a holiday voucher scheme to boost American tourism to Ireland next year.

The 78-year-old Irish American has offered to match government funds to revive the flagging tourism industry, which slumped by 12% this year.

He will support a scheme to offer $100 holiday vouchers to Americans planning a trip to Ireland according to the London Times.