Beijing, April 5 -- Tourism in Tibet is playing an increasingly important role in the tertiary industry, says the Report on the Economic and Social Development of Tibet published by the China Tibetology Research Center on March 20.
The region's tourism has entered a period of rapid development, especially after the running of the Qinghai-Tibet railway.
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A visitor poses for photos at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 21, 2009. Tourism in Tibet is playing an increasingly important role in the tertiary industry. (Xinhua Photo) |
The report shows in 2008, a total of 2,246,400 domestic and foreign tourists visited Tibet, a figure bigger than the total number of tourists who went to Tibet between 1980 and 1997.
Tourism revenue in 2008 reached 2.259 billion yuan, almost equaling the total revenue generated between 1980 and 2000.
"Only when the economy grows to a certain degree, can tourism be promoted," said Wei Min, assistant director of the Tibet Tourism Bureau.
"Tourism of Tibet has once strongly impaired by the March 3.14 riots in Lhasa, but related statistics shows both the tourist arrivals and revenue between January and February in 2009 are higher than that in the same period of 2008, Tibet's tourism market is recovering from riots," Wei pointed out.
To enhance the reception capacity and refine the accommodating condition, many hotels and restaurants in Lhasa have undergone major refits during the tourism slack seasons last year.
"Both the government and tourism enterprisers are confident that we'll see tourists pouring this year," Wei said.
