High up in the Himalayas, surrounded by snow capped peaks and breathtaking scenery is a real place claiming to be heaven on earth - and the locals want the world to see it. “ We have rich tourism resources, and we can use the name Shangri-La to promote them. Tourists have swarmed in from all directions,” says the deputy governor of the area. Tourism may well be the saving grace for a region with few other resources, especially in the wake of a timber ban imposed in 1998. But not everyone feels that the self-proclaimed “model tourist development” is for the best. Both local wildlife and indigenous cultures are threatened by the thousands of tourists flocking in every day. ”Naxi culture will be disappearing one hundred percent – in 5 years it will become capitalism,” says a critic. This stunning film highlights the need for sustainable development in an area of pristine wilderness.

Produced by ABC Australia