Pastoralism and Rangeland Management on the Tibetan Plateau in ...

pastoralists in the surrounding area became more enthusiastic about promoting
tourism. Especially in recent years, due to the explosive growth in the tourism
industry in Tibet, “travel in Lhasa” gained more <strong>and</strong> more br<strong>and</strong> power, <strong>and</strong>
became the leader of tourism in Tibet. In 2006, the Lhasa municipal Tourism
Bureau <strong>and</strong> the People‘s Government of Damxung County approved the scenic
l<strong>and</strong>scape development plan by Beijing Dadi Planning Institute. It is called the
Controlled Execution Plan for Development of Namtso Scenic Area, Lhasa. The
Plan on one h<strong>and</strong> reflects the unique advantages of tourist resources in Namtso,
<strong>and</strong> on the other h<strong>and</strong>, encourages pastoralists to get involved in development
of tourism <strong>and</strong> increase their income through provision of tourism services <strong>and</strong>
products. For example, there are currently thirteen yogurt-processing mills in
Damxung alone. The annual output value of yak yogurt alone reaches 100,000
Yuan. Local pastoralists reap 30,000 to 50,000 Yuan each year from selling
milk. These activities have not only made pastoralists more enthusiastic <strong>and</strong>
active players in the tourism market, but also boosted the pastoral economy
in the surrounding area of Namtso, optimizing the local economic structure.
Figure 3 shows that the tertiary industry in Dabney <strong>and</strong> Tashi Village is soaring
due to its proximity with Tashi Duo Isl<strong>and</strong> recently. On the other h<strong>and</strong>, a higher
proportion of the traditional industry exists in Sede Town since it is farthest
away from Tashi Duo Isl<strong>and</strong>. The closer the pastoral community is to Tashi
Duo Isl<strong>and</strong>, the more of the population get involved in tourism.
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