Namtso, the “Heavenly Lake,” a must-see destination for Tibet-bound tourists, was busy with visitors during the 2008 National Day Golden Week holiday. by Jia Lijun/Xinhua

Tashilhunpo Monastery, the largest Buddhist temple in Xigaze Prefecture. by Guan Guangyuan/CFP

October 4, 2008: Domestic and foreign tourists at Jokhang Monastery, Lhasa. by Gesang Dhawa/Xinhua

Onkor Festival, or Fruit-Awaiting Festival, in Shannan Prefecture, imbued with Tibetan culture and customs. by Yu Hongchun/CFP

The Tibet Autonomous Region has long fascinated her scores of domestic and foreign travelers. Indeed, for many, traveling the “Roof of World” remains the trip of a lifetime.
In addition to remarkable cultural heritages, strongly represented by sites like the Potala Palace, Jokhang Monastery, Ramoche Monastery, and Norbulingka, Tibet is known for high mountains and great rivers, as well as its distinctive plateau flavor and customs.

The 2008 National Day Golden Week holiday brought a soaring number of tourists to Lhasa. To facilitate and control the visitor flow during the rush period, entry tickets for Potala Palace were sold one day in advance. by Pubu Tahshi/Xinhua

June 21, 2008: Tibetan dancers at a Tibet tourism promotional performance in Beijing. by Aqiing/CFP

Tibet’s ethnic culture and natural environment have been well-conserved. Thanks to the state government’s financial support, 1,700 monasteries and 46,000 hectares of forests across the region remain preserved and protected. And here Tibetan drama and other aspects of intangible cultural heritage remain faithfully intact, intriguing visitors and serving as a valuable resource for the business of Tibet tourism.
Visitors can follow the footprints of pilgrims back to remote antiquity, tour resplendent age-old monasteries, enjoy splendid Tibetan culture and arts, appreciate the enchanting scenery of rivers and lakes, sample unique plateau customs, and scale snow-capped peaks. Across the land of Tibet is remarkable beauty and mystery.
However, following the March 14 unrest Tibet tourism experienced a period of inactivity. After tourism resumed at the end of last April, in May and June, the monthly tourist count rose to 100,000, and the figure soared to 370,000 in July, even higher than the total of the first six months of this year. In August, Tibet welcomed 460,000 tourists, 24 percent more than July. In autumn, the weather cools, but Tibet-bound tourism still sizzles. Nearly every day, crowds of tourists, from China and beyond, can be seen on Potala Palace Square and at Nyingchi Airport.
To stimulate the sustained expansion of tourism, respective departments have organized a variety of cultural and sporting events. The Shoton Festival held in Lhasa last August 30, for example, drew many tourists with cultural attractions like yogurt tasting and Tibetan drama. In early September, the Third International Namtso Lake Walking Convention was held, bringing together more than 100 trekkers from China and beyond. During the First Tibet Tourism Gourmet and Culture Festival in Lhasa, September 30 to October 6, the scenic sites in and around the city were fully-packed, while visitors enjoyed varying-flavored snacks from different parts of the country and gained insight into the history and ethnic culture of Tibet.
According to Jogar, director of the Lhasa Municipal Tourism Administration, after the successful conclusion of the Beijing Olympic Games, Lhasa hosted varied tourism and cultural galas, further promoting the growth of the city’s tourism. To that end, the Tourism Administration of Tibet Autonomous Region (TATAR) recently launched the program of “Winter Tour in Tibet,” which features a series of tourist attractions including the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, Potala Palace, and Mt. Qomolangma. And, the 50-percent-off price reduction is expected to draw more winter visitors to the “Roof of the World.”
Preparing for the upcoming winter tour season, Tibet’s departments of tourism are directing more resources to the region’s service infrastructure, including the improvement of service facilities. Today, some 28,400 people directly, and 142,000 people indirectly, serve in the region’s tourism industry. Along with the rapid development of the tourism sector, these numbers are expected to rise. To ensure quality of service, among other measures, TATAR implemented a training program for tourism practitioners, perfected tourism administration regulations, and further improved sanitation conditions at tourist sites.