The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) sponsorship of the general tourism development plan along the areas of Qinghai-Tibet railway (2006-2020) was approved and officially published on July 1, 2007.

The plan focuses on all aspects of tourism in areas including the major cities of Xining, Golmud, Nagqu, and Lhasa along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway; and implements a 3-step strategy for tourism development. The first step is to increase the total tourism income to 17.3 billion Yuan by 2010. The second step is to raise the total income to 25.4 billion Yuan between 2011 and 2015. The third step is to increase the total value of tourism to 33 billion Yuan between 2016 and 2020.