Local statistics showed that 505,000 tourists visited the Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China in the first half of this year, 3.1 times more than the same period last year.

Among the tourists, 470,000 were from elsewhere on the Chinese mainland while more than 37,000 were from overseas regions and countries.

The tourists brought earnings of 433.34 million yuan (US$52.4 million) to the autonomous region, 2.8 times more than the same period of last year. Overseas tourists contributed 9.3 million dollars to the total figure, a 1.9 times rise from the first six months of last year.

Zhao Shujuan, a marketing official with the tourism bureau of the autonomous region, said the growth was partly attributed to the improvement of tourism infrastructure and service.

The official also said that the tourism department has also beefed up their marketing and promotion efforts.

Last year the state tourism authorities launched an aid program which provides 100 guides every year.

The number of tourists to the region in the whole year is expected to hit 1.1 million, according to the official.

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2004)