Tibet Tourism come to normal after May 1st

Tourism is one of Tibet's pillar industries, it is 70% of Lhasa total GDP, and one tenth of the region's GDP. Last year Tibet attracts in more than 4 million visitors, with income from that sector hitting close to 5 billion yuan.

The regional government stopped issuing tourist permits to foreigner travelers on March 16 and the bureau recommended Chinese travel organizations postpone tour plans after the March 14 riot in Lhasa.

Zhang Qingli, secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China, said earlier that normal social order should be brought back as soon as possible to embrace for tourist arrivals during the International Labor Day holiday.

The municipal committee and government of Lhasa organized and held a meeting about revitalizing the tourism in the afternoon on April 2nd in Lhasa city. And release the news that the Tibet tourist market will open to tourists from both home and abroad from May 1st.

That means 100 thousands tourism employee will begin making their living again.

The future of Tibet tourism will be glorious. The social order at present is more stable, even than days before 3·14 incident.As Wang Xiang Ming, the deputy secretary of Lhasa municipal committee, said that, "now People's Security Bureau has arrested 800 criminals who robbed and burned stores in Lhasa in 3.14 riot and another 280 rioters give themselves up to PSB. And will judge them in court before 1st of May; we believe 3.14 incident would never happened again."

"In 2007, there was 2.7 million tourists come to Lhasa, and our goal in this year is reaching 3.3 million, hopefully will be more than 30% of last year. .

At the same time, he asked the tourist enterprises in Lhasa to make preparation actively for the whole-open tourist market.

More information: Tibet will reopen to tourists abroad

• Tibet permit
• Main attractions in Tibet
• Tibet golden tour itineraries