Xinhua is the official news agency of the People's Republic of China

Lhasa, 4th May: Tourism in the Tibet Autonomous Region is becoming one of the pillar industries to support the local economy.

Statistics showed that the region received more than 100,000 foreign visitors during the past seven years, and foreign exchange earnings reached over 48m US dollars, with an annual growth rate of 97 per cent.

The autonomous region took steps to develop tourism by investing in tourism facilities and speeding up the construction of roads.

More tourist routes connecting Lhasa, the capital city, with sightseeing spots scattered on the Tibet Plateau have been developed, while new tourism programmes are being added, including mountaineering, field exploration, cycle racing, and scientific research.

Sources said that more than 100 companies and agencies in Tibet deal with tourism-related businesses, with a total of more than 580m yuan of fixed assets.

Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 1106 gmt 4 May 97