Made in Tibet by Tibetans

The opening of the Tibetan economy has brought in experienced Han and Hui Muslim small business operators who have significant advantages over Tibetans in product development and marketing, access to capital, and networks to outside distributors and markets.

According to the Lhasa Industrial and Commercial Bureau, only 13% (28 of 368)(1) of private enterprises engaged in the production of handicrafts in Lhasa are operated and managed by Tibetans. For Tibetan businesses that do operate, most do so informally (no bank account and/or shipping capability) and thus lack the necessary infrastructure to maintain a successful craft business.

Tibet’s key economic indicators compared to China

Tibetan artisans are missing out on the economic and social dividends of Tibet’s rapidly growing tourist market. (Over 310,000 foreign tourists visited Lhasa in 2006.) (1)

Over the last 10 years, Tibet has been experiencing economic growth of 9-10%. But this growth has been biased towards urban-oriented public and private infrastructure investment leading to a rapid influx of outside migrant populations taking private and public sector opportunities. Despite recent growth trends, Tibet lags far behind the rest of China in a number of key economic indicators. (2)