As peach blossoms covered the valleys of Nyingchi, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region in April, a special tourist train carrying more than 330 visitors rolled into the city's railway station, marking the opening of the 23rd Nyingchi Peach Blossom Tourism.

For many travelers, the journey offered a picturesque spring escape. For locals in Galai Village, known as Xizang's "First Peach Blossom Village," the festival also reflects years of efforts to protect the local environment while developing tourism.

Decades ago, Galai Village was poor and isolated. Logging, grazing and highland barley farming were the main sources of income, while annual per capita income was less than 2,000 yuan ($241) in 2000. Rather than cutting down its ancient peach trees for short-term gains, the village chose another path – protecting its ecological resources and developing rural tourism.

Home to more than 1,200 wild peach trees, Galai Village hosted the first Nyingchi Peach Blossom Festival in 2002. Since then, peach blossoms have become both an ecological treasure and an economic engine.

Government investment improved roads and bridges, while a tourism development model introduced by paired assistance programs from south China's Guangdong Province helped create a peach blossom resort. Villagers established a tourism cooperative by contributing land shares, with part of tourism revenue distributed to residents and another portion reinvested into ecological conservation.

This year alone, the village earned over 2.6 million yuan during the peach blossom season.

Yet Galai Village's tourism economy no longer depends only on spring flowers. Enterprises have introduced products such as peach blossom pastries and essential oils, increasing the value of local agricultural resources. During winter, Xizang New Year experience tours and study camps continue attracting visitors. Between last November and this March, the village received more than 5,000 students and tourists for educational travel programs.

The rapid growth of tourism has also been supported by expanding infrastructure. Since the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway began operation in 2021, travel time between the two cities has been shortened to about three and a half hours. According to China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group, the railway has transported 5.75 million passengers so far, making "taking the train to see peach blossoms" one of Xizang's most popular travel experiences.

In 2025, per capita disposable income in Galai Village reached 41,200 yuan. The village's transformation also reflects broader changes across Xizang over the past 75 years since its peaceful liberation.

Once one of China's most impoverished regions, Xizang lifted all 628,000 registered impoverished residents out of poverty by the end of 2019. A key factor behind this achievement has been turning ecological advantages into sustainable industries while practicing the development philosophy that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

Today, more than 50% of the region is demarcated within the country's ecological protection red lines, while protected natural areas account for nearly 38% of the region's territory. Populations of Xizang antelopes, wild yaks and black-necked cranes continue to recover, becoming both indicators of ecological health and major attractions for eco-tourism.

Across Xizang, local governments are developing eco-friendly tourism routes centered on glaciers, sacred lakes, grasslands and Xizang culture. More than 300 rural tourism sites now support employment for 75,000 farmers and herders, while over 2,300 family inns help villagers share the benefits of tourism growth.

Environmental protection remains central to this process. In Dingri County, home to the core area of the Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, diesel sightseeing vehicles have largely been replaced by over 80 new-energy shuttle buses, reducing emissions while improving the visitor experience.

Official data show that Xizang received more than 70 million tourist visits in 2025, with tourism revenue exceeding 816 billion yuan. Behind the numbers is Xizang's effort to balance growth and conservation, turning ecological beauty into a source of shared prosperity for people across the plateau.