In 2007, great headway was made in Tibet tourism. In that year, the regional CPC committee and government made the Decision on Further Accelerating Development of Tourism, greatly promoting the rapid development of tourism in the TAR. At the same time, the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway also helped boost tourism. A marked achievement has been made in the creation and promotion of a tour brand themed "Roof of the World, Magic Tibet". Tourism began showing its dominant role in the tertiary industry. A total of 4.0294 million people hailing from inside and outside China visited Tibet, representing an increase of 60.4 percent over the previous year. This included 3.664 million visitors from other parts of China, an increase of 55.4 percent; and 365,000 from the rest of the world, as many as 2.29 times the 2006 figure. In 2007, tourism income reached 4.852 billion Yuan, an increase of 75.1 percent. Foreign exchange income was US$135 million, as much as 2.31 times higher. Tibet leads other provinces of China in the increase of inbound tourists.

(China's Tibet facts and Figures 2008)