As one of China's first pilot cities for consumption in "new business forms, new models, and new scenarios," Lhasa, supported by 200 million yuan in special national funds, has implemented more than 40 pilot projects centered on three major directions: improving the first-store economy service system, innovating diversified service consumption scenarios, and promoting cross-sector collaboration between quality consumption resources and well-known IP.

At present, the first batch of pilot projects has entered the stage of phased acceptance and subsidy disbursement. New consumption momentum continues to be released, and urban commercial vitality has significantly increased.

Policy closed-loop implementation, pilot projects advanced in echelons

Following the principle of "accepting one batch as it matures, checking one batch upon completion, and disbursing funds for one batch," Lhasa is accelerating the transformation of policy dividends into market results. The announcement for soliciting the second batch of projects has already been publicly released. The Lhasa Municipal Commerce Bureau has established a weekly scheduling and monthly visiting mechanism, horizontally coordinating with competent departments across industries, going down to the frontline of counties, districts, parks, commercial districts, and enterprises, and exploring and reserving new projects around plateau specialty products, Tibetan intangible cultural heritage, and the integration of culture, tourism, commerce, and sports. Through various forms such as briefing sessions, government-enterprise forums, and online Q&A, it has carried out policy guidance, implemented "one enterprise, one policy" full-process tracking services for pilot projects, proactively coordinated to resolve difficulties in approval, land use, electricity, financing, and other areas, and promoted the direct delivery of policy funds to enterprises.

Deepening plateau endowments, creating diverse new consumption scenarios

Based on local plateau resources, Lhasa vigorously promotes the deep integration of culture, tourism, commerce, and sports, and continuously creates distinctive consumption scenarios with strong recognizability.

Chukha Golden Street in Liuwu NewDistrict, LhasaCity, upholds the concept of "making the district a scenic area, and making consumption a way of life," builds a three-dimensional consumption model of "culture + trends + convenience," introduces trendy business forms such as Xizang's firstmotorcycle experience hall and XR immersive projects, and is supported by a convenience living section, balancing the spiritual consumption needs of young people and surrounding residents.

Meanwhile, Lhasa takes the first-store economy as an important lever for the "three new" pilot program, issuing policies to support domestic and foreign quality brands and local brands in landing high-level first stores, flagship stores, and concept stores, and promoting the expansion of first stores into main stores and headquarters. Currently, brand stores have successively landed, integrating cultural performances and interactive games to create immersive night economy activities. At the same time, Lhasa also encourages cross-sector cooperation between consumption resources and well-known IP, promoting the innovative transformation of Tibetan intangible cultural heritage and plateau cultural creativity, relying on the regional public brand "Lhasa Good Things," local enterprises use livestreaming e-commerce to sell plateau specialty products such as qingke (highland barley) snacks, plateau yak jerky, and Tibetan medicinal materials nationwide.

Momentum continues to be released, focusing on building a consumption center city

Various new business forms and new scenarios continue to stimulate market potential, and consumption in Lhasa maintains a steady growth trend. In the first half of this year, Lhasa's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 23.846 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3%, 1.3 percentage points higher than the national average.

Since the beginning of this year, Lhasa has invested a total of 130 million yuan in consumption promotion funds, directly driving 1.81 billion yuan in consumption, with a comprehensive leverage ratio of 1:13.9. During the "May Day" holiday consumption promotion activities, subsidies of 12.0469 million yuan were redeemed, driving total social consumption of 166 million yuan, with a consumption leverage ratio of 1:13.78. At present, Lhasa is anchoring the goal of achieving a growth rate of more than 6% in total retail sales of consumer goods in 2026, planning to cultivate 50 above-designated-size trade units, and shoring up shortcomings in the automotive aftermarket. 

From being selected as one of China's first pilot cities for consumption "three new" to the first batch of projects completing phased acceptance, and from key projects landing and being built to distinctive consumption scenarios blossoming in multiple points, Lhasa relies on the dual drive of policy guidance and market forces to continuously transform plateau consumption potential into tangible growth momentum.

Reporter: Tan Ruihua

Translator: Tenzin Seldron

First Review: Zhi Xinghua

Second Review: Drakpa Wangchen

Third Review: Hu Rongguo