Tibet aims to host three million tourists from both home and
abroad this year, a 28-percent increase over last year, said a
tourism official of the southwest China's autonomous region.
"The region has set a target of 3.4 billion yuan (US$435
million) revenue from tourism for 2007, " said Zha'nor, deputy
director of the Tibet Tourism Bureau.
The region reported a total of 2.45 million inbound tourists
last year, reaping a revenue of 2.6 billion yuan (US$333
million).
"Tibet will do more to increase the jobs for locals and train
more local guides and other tourism management staff," Zha'nor
said.
The bureau plans to introduce companies from home and abroad to
join the restructuring of Tibetan tourism companies to enhance
their management, he said.
Rural tourism will also be boosted this year, the official
said.
On July 1 last year, the 1,956-km Qinghai-Tibet railway was put
into operation, providing travelers with cheaper and safer access
to the region.
Two months later, the Nyingchi Airport, Tibet's third after
Lhasa and Qamdo, went into operation, making it easier to get to
the spectacular grand canyon of Yalu Tsangpo River, which flows
into the Bramaputra River in India.
"The two projects have created great potential for the region's
tourism industry," Zha'nor said.
(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)