Tibet rakes in USD 3 billion from tourism

BEIJING: Over 14.3 million tourists visited Tibet in the first eight months of 2015 raking up a revenue of USD 3 billion for the remote Himalayan region bordering India.

The tourism has generated 19 billion yuan (USD 3 billion) for the Autonomous Province in tourism revenue, Tourism Development Commission said.

The May to October period is high tourism season for Tibet, and a big influx of visitors are expected during the week-long National Day holiday which begins on October 1.

Tibet will hold a 3-day tourism and culture expo from tomorrow, which will be attended by representatives of companies from countries like India and Nepal as well as other provinces of China.

Tourism is a pillar industry in Tibet, with revenue accounting for about one fifth of the region's GDP.

The region aims to attract 17 million tourists this year, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.