Tourism grew rapidly this year in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region following the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet railway and the region's third airport.

Tibet has recorded 2.45 million inbound tourists from home and abroad so far this year, up 36 percent on last year, sources with the regional tourism authorities said on Thursday.

Of the total, 2.29 million, or 93 percent, were from China, up 36 percent, the sources added.

It is estimated that the region has accumulated 2.7 billion yuan (US$346.2 million) in revenue over the whole year, up 39.5 percent.

On July 1, the 1,956-km Qinghai-Tibet railway was put into operation, providing travelers with cheaper and safer access to the region.

Two months later, the Nyingchi Airport opened, making it easier to travel to the spectacular grand canyon of Yalu Tsangpo River, which flows into the Bramaputra River in India.

The opening of both projects has also driven up the service sector in the region. By December, there were 606 hotels in Tibet, up 16.5 percent, 5,846 catering services, 4,867 shopping outlets and 3,216 entertainment venues, with an average annual growth rate of 20 percent.

The sources said next year the Tibet local authorities would continue to develop the tourism sector to enable the region to accommodate four million tourists a year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2006)