(TibetanReview.net, Jul23’20) – While the tourism sector across the world has seen a sharp downturn in business due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the so-called autonomous region of Tibet (TAR) under Chinese rule received more than 8 million tourists in the first half of this year, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Jul 22, citing the region’s tourism authorities.
The report said the TAR was the only region in the PRC with positive growth, that too at 27 per cent. The overwhelming number of visitors are from China, although the report said the region was on the way to becoming an important destination for tourists from around the world.
The report said the tourism sector in TAR had played a leading role in China’s growth, especially in May and June.
More than 300 scenic spots in the TAR were opened to tourists since March while the regional tourism development department also sponsored various activities to promote travel to the region, the report noted.
The region’s launch of online live-streaming tours in February, highlighting key scenic spots, received increased attention from all over the country, the report said.
The region had received more than 40 million domestic and overseas tourists last year, an increase of 19.1 per cent year-on-year, with its income from tourism reaching nearly 55.92 billion yuan, up 14 per cent year-on-year, the report noted.