Abstract: Ethno-economic integration refers to the process where ethnic groups achieve interdependence, exchange, and common development through economic interaction. This paper examines, in theoretic and practical terms, pathways to modernize the cultural tourism industry in this context. The current modernization process faces multiple challenges, including fragmented industrial chains, crises of cultural authenticity, diminished agency of local communities, and sustainable development dilemmas. Drawing on case studies, the study proposes four practical pathways: 1) integrating industrial chains through digital transformation; 2) fostering tiered industrial clustering; 3) enabling cultural empowerment and business convergence; and 4) establishing cross-regional governance with benefit-sharing mechanism. The cultural tourism industry, ultimately, can serve as a key element for enhancing ethnic solidarity and driving high-quality regional development.

Key words: ethno-economic integration, modernization of the cultural tourism industry, industrial chain, theoretic framework, practical pathway