The snow-capped mountains, green grasslands and mysterious religious and cultural heritage of Tibet are becoming a big tourist attraction for the tens of thousands of travelers to visit every year, who go to the place not just because it is the roof of the world, but also because it is known as a place of adventure.

A survey conducted by the Tibet Autonomous Region's Tourism Administration shows that more than half of tourists from Beijing said they were in Tibet for hiking and other outdoor activities.

"Tourists from big cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, are often very concerned about Tibet's natural scenery and folk customs," said Cao Xiaoyu, head of the Beijing office of the region's tourism administration.

The special traditional heritage and culture, two other important aspects of Tibet's attractiveness to tourists, have received priority in the government blueprint for tourism development.

"The strategy for promotion is focused on making more urban residents and overseas tourists aware of the existence and accessibility of our many heritage sites in addition to our snow-capped mountains and river valleys," said Zhang Wansheng, director of the Tibet Autonomous Region's Tourism Administration, at a press conference yesterday.

Tourists often have the wrong impression that Tibet is only suitable for sightseeing and pilgrimage. Actually, the area is suitable for all types of tourism, Zhang said.

For example, it used to be regarded as impossible to ride a bicycle on the plateau, with its elevation of more than 4,000 meters above sea level. But now this is one of the most popular tourist activities in Tibet.

Last year, the region received a total of 565,000 travelers, up 33 percent from the previous year, including 140,000 overseas tourists, up 30 percent from 1999.

Revenue from tourism hit 650 million yuan (US$78.6 million), an increase of 20 percent from 1999, according to Zhang.

(China Daily 04/10/2001)