A monk of Sera Monastery said, "Now I'm happy to see more people praying there."

Believers wait to worship Buddha at the Sera Monastery in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on April 28, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

Despite no visitors for over a month, local tourism authorities are confident that the number will rise.

Dainzin Namgyae,general secretary og Commission of Ethnic & Religious Affairs, said, "The peak season is approaching. Sera Monastery has always been an attractive destination for religious people and tourists. So I believe the number of visitors will be just as much as in previous years."

Sera, in Tibetan, means "Wild Rose Garden" since opulent wild rose woods once grew around it.

"The Sera Monastery is the first to reopen to tourists after major monasteries in Lhasa closed for over a month following the unrest. There are very few visitors here today, but more are expected to come as peak season approaches. The reopen is a sign of recovering tourism before the May holiday, which is only two days away.

(CCTV April 29, 2008)