2. TIBET SPECS
English Name: Tibet
Chinese Name: 西藏 (xī zàng)
Abbreviation: 藏 (Zang)
Admin. Type: Autonomous Region
Capital: Lhasa
Location: 26 50' to 36 53' N, 78 25'
to 99 06' E
Area: 1,228,400 km² (474,288 mi²)
Population (2010): 3,002,166
4. MORE ABOUT TIBET
One of the most romantic tourist destinations in the world, thanks to
its spectacular Himalayan scenery, including Mount Everest, and a
peaceful Buddhist culture personified by the Dalai Lama
Tibet has been long known to offer some of the most breathtaking
views and elegant wedding venues in the world!
“Tibet is the holy place attracting numerous visitors from all over the
world! Many people insist on having their wedding in Tibet while some
others say that Tibet is the trip of a lifetime.” (Chinatouristmaps.com)
6. CURRENT SITUATION
Tibetan Uprising in 2008
• Mass protests throughout the Tibetan plateau took place in the spring of 2008 against
Chinese occupation
• Sparked by China’s increasing stranglehold over all forms of Tibetan life
• Protests were brutally suppressed by the Chinese authorities and many protesters were killed
by security forces
Changes Since Prostests
• Restrictions on travel to many parts of Tibet for both journalists and tourists
• Freedom of movement is restricted and communication services can be curtailed
• Heavy military presence
Restrictions may change dramatically and without prior warning
• China banned tourists from entering Tibet in June and July 2011 as it marked the 60 -year
anniversary of its occupation.
From: Free Tibet
7. A FEW STATS
Tibet posted a record of high number of tourists in the first eight months
of this year. Tibet has received as many as 6.21 million tourists in the past eight
months, up 22.1 percent year-on-year, according to the Tibet Tourism Bureau.
The tourism sector also posted a 42.7 percent jump in revenue between
January and August to 6.34 billion yuan, thanks to the soaring tourist numbers
Festival tourism has witnessed a breakthrough this year, becoming a
booster of the regional tourism industry
• For example, a total of 906,400 tourists visited Tibet during the seven-day
Shoton Festival alone, bringing a total revenue of 266 million yuan, an increase
of 15.01 percent and 8.21 percent respectively year-on-year.
From: China Tibet Online
8. QINGHAI -TIBET RAILWAY
Opened on July 1, 2006
1,956-km-long
The first to reach China's interior
from the Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet tourism development was
boosted markedly due to the increased
accessibility and affordability
9. QINGHAI -TIBET RAILWAY
China claims that the railway will promote the preservation and development of
the Tibetan culture to cater to an influx of tourists looking for unique cultural
experiences
Enables a beneficial interaction between Tibet's culture and other cultures
As most tourists to Tibet are interested in the sites and unique ethnic and
cultural spectacles, local government and citizens are being encouraged to further
develop their culture
Local citizen will have easy access to information and cultures from the outside
world with the development of tourism
10. WEDDING TOURISM
Many business opportunities in
"Tibetan weddings" are found by local
travel agencies
Tourists attracted to Tibet for
Tibetan style wedding
• Bride and bridesgroom wear
Tibetan wedding dresses
• Friends and family are invited to
give Hadas with “Tashi Delek”
blessings
12. WEDDING TOURISM
“Wedding by the Holy Lake”
• Many couples exchange wedding vows at Namtso Lake
• Highest lake in the world with altitude of 4,718 meters
• Theme of "purity, eternity and compassion"
• Tibet's Regional Tourism Bureau invited 99 couples
from all over the world to be married by the lake in
September 2010 to promote wedding and honeymoon
tourism
• Weddings followed by romantic wed-in trip, covering some
ten scenic spots
• Activities such as the Tibetan-style wedding ceremony, a
bonfire Guozhuang(a Tibetan group dance) Party, and
environment-friendly travel
13. WEDDING PARTY TOUR !
Day 01: FLY KATHMANDU TO LHASA GANGAR AIRPORT
Days 02 & 03: SHOPPING
Day 04: INVITE THE SINGERS
Day 05 & 06: SIGHTSEEING
Day 07: DRIVE TO AIRPORT
14. P O S I T I V E T O U R I S M I M PAC T S
Tibet Environment Protection Movement
Mixing of cultures
• Tourism provides a window to the outside world for Tibetans and a first step
towards a more open policy
• Rural villages build holiday inns and Tibetan-style hotels for tourists, helping
push the Tibetan folk culture to market
• A series of unique Tibetan cultural icon, such as Thangka, Tibetan incense and
Tibetan dinner, also play an important role in alluring more people to Tibet,
which will also help spread Tibetan culture to the outside world
Showcases Tibetan landscapes
Creating jobs for locals
• Locals needed as tour guides and other tourism management staff
15. N E G AT I V E T O U R I S M I M PAC T S
Empowers the Chinese
• Money generated by tourism rarely stays in the Tibetan economy
• Allows the Chinese government to promote its own approved and
sanitized image of Tibet
Takes away from exclusivity of weddings if everyone knows about it
• Romantic ideas of Tibet come partly from its remoteness and mystery
Causes the watering-down of traditional Tibetan culture as Westerners
begin to increase the weddings help in Tibet
16. NEGATIVE IMPACTS (CONT.)
Cultural Degradation
• Loss of traditional styles of clothing
• Locals wearing tourist clothing style
• Traditional clothing being sold as souvenirs
• Changes in Buildings and Settlement Patterns
• Majority of buildings destroyed by Chinese
• Newer buildings influenced by Western culture
• Destruction of Religious Practices
• Timing and content of religious ceremonies
• catered to tourists’ viewing
• Religious artifacts sold to tourists
• Destruction of the sanctity of pilgrimages to
• sacred mountains
17. WHY NOT?
Many people are against travelling to Tibet because they believe
tourism provides legitimacy to the Chinese Government. It is also part
of China's economic policy to encourage tourism in Tibet, especially
wealthy Westerners on package group tours. Supporting the immigrant
population of 7·5 million Chinese, in addition to the six million Tibetans,
is such a drain on Chinese resources that the Government desperately
needs tourism, and the hard currency it provides, to boost the Tibetan
economy.
18. STRATEGIES
Strategies:
• Choose a local Tibetan travel agency.
• Patronize local businesses.
• Higher local guides, drivers, and wedding officiates.
• Respect local wedding cultures and traditions.
• Leave no trace (poop) while trekking.
• Abide local laws
• Do not hand out money or medicine.
19. POLICIES
Environmental conditions of Tibet
The strengthening of Ecological Construction and environmental
protection, and the building of ecological security barrier of Tibet.
Attaching Importance to Environmental Protection in
Development, and Guaranteeing Clean Water and Blue Sky I the
Snow-covered Plateau.
20. P R E S E RV I N G T I B E TA N C U LT U R E
Due in part to the importance of Tibetan culture to Tibet’s tourism industry,
China has realized the need to preserve the culture
China has invested more than 60 million yuan (9.38 million U.S dollars) on the
preservation and development of Tibet's intangible cultural heritage (ICH) over the
past six years
The Ministry of Culture has allocated 32.58 million yuan for the preservation
and inheritance of Tibet's ICH
The government of Tibet Autonomous Region also invested nearly 30 million
yuan for its ICH
21. P R E S E RV I N G T I B E TA N C U LT U R E
The Ministry of Culture said that it will continue to take other
measures over the next five years to further promote the preservation of
Tibet's ICH
• Among the measures is a preferential policy toward Tibet's ICH
preservation in regard to financial support
• The Ministry will help improve the living and working conditions of ICH
inheritors for their teaching and exchange activities
The ministry will also feature more Tibetan ICH items on the
nationwide promotion and exhibition activities in order to introduce
Tibetan culture to the entire country and the world
