At a press conference in Beijing on Thursday, vice-chairman of the Xizang autonomous region Xu Zhitao announced that the region will expand its international flight routes, enhance its inbound tourism routes and products, and enhance entry, language translation, and payment services to draw in more foreign visitors to enjoy its stunning natural landscapes and distinctive ethnic culture.
According to data from local authorities, Xizang is a well-liked tourist destination that saw 55.17 million visits from both domestic and foreign visitors last year, up 83.7 per cent from the previous year. Its total tourism revenue reached 65.1 billion yuan ($8.99 billion), a 60 per cent increase from the previous year, both reaching historical highs.
Xizang received almost 20,000 foreign visitors in 2023. In the first quarter of this year, there were more than 4,300 foreign tourists, even before the main travel season, which runs from May to October.
“There are many different types of scenery to be seen in Xizang, including mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, grasslands, deserts, and glaciers. In addition, visitors may see magnificent palaces, exquisite temples, and distinctively designed residential complexes,” Xu stated during the State Council Information Office press conference.
“The calming melodies of pastoral songs and the melodic sound of the Ghanaian, a distinctive native musical instrument, may be heard in Xizang. Travellers frequently receive surprising gifts from these encounters.”
Xu stated that there are obstacles to overcome to encourage the expansion of tourism, including problems with the transportation network, the high expense and duration of travel, and severe altitude sickness, which discourages many tourists from visiting Xizang.
“Constructing a series of world-class tourist attractions that embody Chinese cultural characteristics and represent national ecological civilization” is the goal of Xizang’s development plan, which was inspired by the National Tourism Development Conference that took place in Beijing on May 17.
According to Xu, the area will further advance the fusion of culture and tourism by creating immersive ethnic tourism experiences, launching the Xizang culinary brand, endorsing wellness and health products with Tibetan medicine, and investigating deep experiential tourism like study tours and high-altitude trekking.
To give tourists a better experience, it also intends to increase the number of direct routes to mainland cities and foreign locations, draw in more investment firms to the culture and tourism sector, enhance the highland rescue system, and bolster market supervision.
“We are confident that tourism can achieve double-digit growth this year as well,” he stated.
In addition to tourism, Xizang is opening up new areas faster than before.
Xizang traded with 175 nations and regions last year, and its imports and exports totalled over 10 billion yuan, a record high. According to local authorities, the amount increased by 201.7 per cent year over year to 2.8 billion yuan between January and April.
Global sales of local goods are increasing, according to regional chairman Yan Jinhai. As an illustration, Xizang shipped 310 metric tons of mineral water to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Singapore. For the first time, locally farmed fruit was exported outside of the country when 23 tons of apples were shipped to Nepal in April.
Highland barley is exported to Nepal and Canada and is used to make barley wine, cookies, noodles, and meal-replacement powders. Highland barley has the potential to decrease blood sugar and relax blood vessels.
“Xizang can only develop to a high standard if it opens up. We are dedicated to openly cooperating to grow our “circle of friends,” Yan stated.
