More than 30 thousand Tibetan farmers and herdsmen are participating in their region's tourist industry.

Statistics show that China's Tibet received more than 1.2 million domestic and international travelers last year, with total tourism revenue reaching 1.5 billion yuan, or about US$180 million.

Meanwhile, Tibetan agricultural workers' income per capita increased last year by some 23 thousand yuan, or about US$280.

In addition, the number of people involved in Tibet's tourist industry is expected to hit four hundred thousand by 2020, thereby accounting for one fourth of the region's total labor force.

(CRI March 17, 2005)