Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region hosted 256,000 holidaymakers from home and abroad during the May Day week, 9.8 percent more than the same period last year, according to the local tourism authority.

Tourism revenue totaled 103 million yuan (US$12.9 million) over the seven days, up 10.5 percent year on year, the Tibet Autonomous Regional Tourism Administration has said.

Potala Palace, the most popular scenic spot in Tibet, received more than 11,200 visitors, a 26 percent rise over the same period last year.

Officials with the administration expect a great increase in the number of tourists after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest and longest plateau railroad, starts trial operations in July.

More than 2.5 million tourists are expected to arrive this year, an increase of 40 percent on an annual basis, according to the tourism administration.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2006)