隨著國家新型城鎮化戰略的實施，西部民族地區成為新一輪城鎮化發展的熱點地區，在城鎮化發展模式的選擇上，許多地區基于自然和文化資源的優勢，將旅游業作為新型城鎮化發展的主導產業。如何充分利用和發揮民族地區自然資源和文化資源的比較優勢，促進旅游產業在與上下游關聯產業和地區特色農業的有機融合中發揮驅動作用 ，將本地資源稟賦的比較優勢轉化為城鎮化發展的綜合競爭優勢，推動西部民族地區從傳統的追求規模擴張的城鎮化向追求產業結構提升的新型城鎮化轉變，對于縮小東西部差距，消除城鄉二元結構，全面建成小康社會意義重大。

The implementation of the new-type urbanization strategies has turned the western minority areas of China into areas of a new round urbanization where many areas choose tourism as leading industry based on their unique natural and cultural resources. As comparative advantages,these resources should be employed effectively in promoting the efficient integration of tourist industry and the related upstream and downstream industries as well as the local agriculture,so that the resources can become comprehensive competitive advantages. This will definitely upgrade urbanization in the western minority areas from the traditional model of seeking scale expansion to a new-type urbanization of optimizing industrial structure. The new development model can significantly narrow the regional gap between the eastern part and the western part and eliminate the binary structure of city and countryside in the endeavor to build an all-around affluent society.