The tourism industry in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region experienced a remarkable growth in 2023 as revenue and the number of received tourists both reached new historic heights, reflecting the steady recovery of the sector there.
Xizang's tourism industry generated 65 billion yuan of revenue in 2023, or rising 83 percent year-on-year. The number of tourists visiting the autonomous region surpassed 55 million, a growth of 59.7 percent year-on-year, according to the People's Daily.
Xizang Autonomous Region Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China reported a record high of 6.897 million passenger trips in 2023, representing growth of 106.1 percent over 2022, also setting a new record.
Among the airports in Xizang, annual passenger traffic at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport reached 5.47 million, a year-on-year increase of 111.8 percent. The traffic at Qamdo Bangda Airport reached 424,000 passengers, a year-on-year increase of 60 percent, the bureau said.
In order to ensure adequate flight capacity, Xizang's civil aviation administration added 14 new routes to the autonomous region connected to four new cities in the region.
For rail traffic, the local railway operator optimized train routes across Lhasa, Nyingchi and Xigaze in 2023. The number of temporary inbound and outbound passenger trains in Xizang reached 1,107, with peak daily operation reaching 18, according to report.