Tourism in Tibet has recently become one of the regions key development strategies. In 2015, Tibet received more than 20 million tourists, and its total annual tourism revenue reached 28 billion yuan, accounting for more than 25% of the region's GDP and contributing more than 20% to Tibet's economic growth.^[1] But at the same time, Tibet's tourism resources are also very fragile. With the influx of many tourists into Tibet, Tibet's national culture, customs, and habits have also been affected.^[2] Therefore, it also advocated the protection of local businesses while developing tourism resources.^[3]

Following the completion of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway in July 2006, tourism in Tibet expanded rapidly. In 2006, Tibet received more than 2.5 million tourists, including 150,000 foreigners.^[4] In 2007, this figure rose to about 4 million. However, the 2008 Tibetan unrest closed tourist areas between March and June, and visitors dropped to 2.25 million that year.^{[citation needed]}

Between January and June 2009, more than 2.7 million tourists visited Tibet, triple the number for the same period in 2008, providing 2.29 billion yuan in local revenue.^[5] In 2010, Tibet received 6.85 million domestic and international tourists, with tourism revenues of 7.14 billion yuan, or 14 percent of its GDP. Between January and November 2012, Tibet received a record 10 million tourists,^[6] surpassing the 8.69 million in 2011.^[7] In 2015, tourists exceeded 20 million for the first time. In 2023, Tibet received a record 55 million tourists, which was 15 times the local population. ^[8]

The natural landscape of Tibet is divided into three categories: the temperate and humid alpine valleys of eastern Tibet, the alpine mountains and semi-arid river valleys of southern and western Tibet, and the alpine plateau deserts and meadows of northern and northwestern Tibet. Since the Tibetan Plateau, on which Tibet is situated, is an assemblage of a series of mountain systems, plateaus, broad valleys, and lake basins, surrounded by the Himalayas, Gangdisê, Tanggula, and Kunlun mountain ranges, there is a wide variety of topography and geomorphology.^[10][11]

Tibet's human landscape includes how Tibetans live and survive, ethnic customs, and temple culture.^[12] The results of the third national cultural relics census show that there are now 4,277 immovable cultural relic sites in Tibet. Famous historical and cultural cities include Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyantse. Attractions include the Potala Palace, the Jokhang, the Norbulingka, the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the Himalayas (Mount Everest), Mount Kailash, Namucuo, Yamdrok, and Yangbajing (including hot springs and glaciers). Among them, the Potala Palace in the center of Lhasa, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, To minimize the human damage caused by tourists to the Potala Palace's adobe architecture, the Potala Palace restricts the number of visitors and the time of the day. Therefore, finding a ticket to visit the Potala Palace is often tricky during the peak tourist season.

Tourism festivals are held throughout Tibet to attract many tourists to Tibet.^[13] Many of these festivals have solid religious overtones.^[14] From the Tibetan New Year to the Peach Blossom Festival in Linzhi in the spring, the Yalong Cultural Festival in Shannan, the Everest Cultural Festival in Shigatse and the Lhasa Snowdon Festival in the summer, to the Tibet Tourism and Cultural Expo, festival tourism has become a booster for the development of tourism in Tibet. Among them, the Tibetan New Year is the most important festival in Tibet;^[15] At the same time, the Snowdon Festival is held from the 15th of June to the 30th of July in the Tibetan calendar every year, during which there is a grand scale of the sunbathing Buddha ceremony and great and enthusiastic performances of Tibetan opera.^[16] In addition, there are also the Monlam Prayer Festival, the Merangi Small Puja, the Ongkor Festival, the Arrow Plugging Festival, the Snana Yatra, the Lunar New Year Bratva Jumping Assembly, and many other festivals and events.^[17]

When mainland China residents travel to Tibet, they can enter Tibet with their Resident Identity Card. However, residents over 16 years old who wish to travel to border areas, such as Mount Everest, must hold a valid border permit.^[18]

Requirements for persons who do not hold a passport or ID card of the People’s Republic of China:

• Residents of Hong Kong and Macao may enter Tibet directly with their Home Visit Cards.
• Before traveling to Tibet, people from foreign countries must apply for a PRC visa (except for visa-free passport holders). They also need a "Letter of Approval for Foreigners Travelling to Tibet" (referred to as "Letter of Approval for Travelling to Tibet") issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau through a travel agency.
• Before traveling to Tibet, people from Taiwan are required to apply for the "Letter of Approval for Taiwan Compatriots to Enter Tibet" (入藏函), issued by the Tibet Taiwan Affairs Office (西藏台湾事务办公室) through a travel agency. In addition, they must hold a compatriot's permit.
• Foreigners holding non-tourist visas are not allowed to enter Tibet as tourists. Those holding business or study visas must produce certificates from relevant local units in Tibet, and those holding journalist or official visas must contact China's foreign affairs departments.^[19]

Overseas travelers will have their Tibet entry letters checked at airports, railway stations, and road checkpoints. Upon entering Tibet, these letters will be handed over to the group guide for safekeeping. At the end of the trip, the travel agency will return the letter to the TAR Tourism Bureau for filing. No letter of admission may be taken out of Tibet.^[19]

Overseas travelers must apply for a Border Area Travel Permit (for foreigners) or a Border Guard Permit (for Taiwanese) based on the Tibet Entry Letter if they need to travel to border areas. Tibet shares borders with countries such as India and Pakistan, resulting in more sensitive areas for border defense activities.

This policy is according to the regulations of the China National Tourism Administration. Tibet's location in a plateau mountain environment, unique ethnic traditions, cultural monuments, and environmental concerns necessitate specific tourism policies. Due to the limited capacity of Tibet's transportation infrastructure and tourist service facilities, measures are in place to ensure order, safety, and adequate medical resources for tourists. For example, tourists from outside the country are not permitted to travel independently in Tibet; they must join organized and planned groups.

Travelers intending to enter Tibet can complete the necessary procedures at the offices of the TAR Tourism Bureau in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Golmud, or commission a travel agent to do so. Once the process is complete, the travel agency will issue the applicant a letter of entry to Tibet, which they can use to purchase air or bus tickets to Tibet.

"Tourism in tibet" magazine is a comprehensive monthly magazine on tourism, fashion, and culture sponsored by the Tibet Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau. It introduces Tibet's geography and culture to readers and provides travel strategies and information.^[20]