Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region hosted 256,000
holidaymakers from home and abroad during the May Day week, 9.8
percent more than the same period last year, according to the local
tourism authority.
Tourism revenue totaled 103 million yuan (US$12.9 million) over
the seven days, up 10.5 percent year on year, the Tibet Autonomous
Regional Tourism Administration has said.
Potala Palace, the most popular scenic spot in Tibet, received
more than 11,200 visitors, a 26 percent rise over the same period
last year.
Officials with the administration expect a great increase in the
number of tourists after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest and
longest plateau railroad, starts trial operations in July.
More than 2.5 million tourists are expected to arrive this year,
an increase of 40 percent on an annual basis, according to the
tourism administration.
(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2006)