This article attempts to analyse political implications of the recent development of the tourism industry in Lhasa, Tibet. Focusing on tourism propaganda distributed through media and official channels, some aspects of state intervention in Tibet's "ethnic tourism" (minzu fengqing you) will be highlighted, particularly its control and surveillance over Tibetan traditions and identity. It is argued that the development of tourism operates as a significant political means to disseminate the economic value of Tibetan tradition, whilst supplanting Buddhist aspects in representations of Tibetan tradition with the language of the ethnicity. This ethnicisation of Tibetan religion and identity is deeply related to the state's intention to maintain the stability of China's unity as a multi-ethnic nation. The materials presented in this article are mostly based on intensive fieldwork in Lhasa (2000-02).
