Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 1100 gmt 29 May 96

Text of report by Xinhua news agency

Lhasa, 29th May: More tourist routes are to be opened in Tibet to boost the local tourism industry.

Three tourism routes in the Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region are the Qamdo County-Nagqu County line, a line from Basum Lake to a grand canyon to the south of the Yarlung Zangbo River and a circular route connecting Tingri County and Ngamring County and ending in Lhasa.

To enhance the cooperation between Tibet and northwest and other parts of southwest China, the region plans to open lines between Tibet and Yunnan Province, and Qamdo-north Sichuan Province, a route connecting Qamdo with Yushu, a prefecture in Qinghai Province, and a line starting from Wuhan and running through the Three Gorges and Chongqing to Lhasa.

Routes linking Lhasa with Xian and Dunhuang are also expected to be opened.

The region also has plans to establish five tourism zones centred on culture and historical relics, mountaineering and exploration, forest tours and drifting exploration, sight-seeing and visiting the habitats of wild animals respectively.