The 13th Five-Year Plan for the Tibet Autonomous Region outlined the "transformation and upgrading" project of tourism in Tibet for the next five years.

According to the Tourism Development Commission of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet will see 23 million domestic and international tourists in 2016, with an estimated tourism-related income of 3.3 billion yuan.

In recent years, Tibet has focused on building a world-class tourist destination. According to official plan, in the next five years, Tibet will promote tourism based on quality instead of just quantity, build more high-level tourism districts, develop ecological tours and village tours, and design boutique tours so as to build a unique tourism brand.

Karma Tseten, deputy director of the Tourism Development Commission of Tibet, explained that Tibet tourism will grow with a focus on developing information, regional characteristics, and cultural landscapes. They will promote projects such as “tourism + internet,” “tourism + cultural development,” and “tourism + athletics.”

In addition, Tibet will build new villages with innovation in order to grow “tourism + new towns;” develop test sites for village tours, and promote “tourism + new countryside.” “Tourism + unique farm products” will be launched to take advantage of the farming and shepherding resources, and officials will also utilize themed districts to promote “tourism + ecological civilization construction.”

In 2016, Tibet will concentrate its efforts on reforming a lack of order in the current tourism market, and fix the so-called “free tours” which exploit tourists and advertise fraudulently. Problems such as forced-buying which severely disrupt the market will be corrected to improve tourists’ travel experience.