Xiangxi minorities formed their special and splendid culture in the long history, which helped to set solid foundation for its development of ethnic culture tourism industry. Assisted with the special ethnic culture advantages, Xiangxi ethnic culture tourism industry has been promoted as one of the emerging pillar industries of local economy and great economic effects were gained there accordingly. But because of some quick success behaviors, its ethnic culture tourism resources faced great dangers of exceed commercialization on the process of rapid development and its sustainability was risky as well. On this point, it was significant to study the sustainable development of Xiangxi ethnic culture tourism industry under current situation to transfer it from the traditional mode to sustainable mode successfully, and it was also significant for the sustainable development of local economy and significant for local people to get rid of poverty.

Xiangxi is the habitation of Tujia minority and Miao minority where is with rich folk customs and gorgeous ancient heritage, which helps to lay important material conditions for Xiangxi tourism industry’s sustainable development. Its development of tourism infrastructures and supportive conditions helped to support its sustainable development. Furthermore, west development and other favorable policies granted Xiangxi with a great chance to improve its sustainable development of ethnic culture tourism industry.

On the basis of Xiangxi’s specific condition, its principals for sustainable development of ethnic culture tourism industry were confirmed from the aspects of protection of traditional ethnic culture, creation of ethnic culture tourism products, protection of the charm of ethic culture, cultivation of consciousness of ethnic cultural subjects, and etc. The sustainable development of Xiangxi ethnic culture tourism needs to reach the unification of economic development targets and social development targets along with the exploration of local ethnic culture tourism resources. The specified measures are as follow: perfection of the mechanism of development of the ethnic culture tourism industry, perfection of policy orientation system of industry development, protection of ethnic culture tourism resources, cultivation and introduction of talents of ethnic culture tourism, extension of ethnic culture tourism industrial chain and improvement of tourism infrastructure construction.