Tourism in Tibet

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Potala Palace in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet Potala Palace, August 2009.jpg
Potala Palace in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet

Tourism in Tibet has recently become one of the regions key development strategies. In 2015, Tibet received more than 20 million tourists, and its total annual tourism revenue reached 28 billion yuan, accounting for more than 25% of the region's GDP and contributing more than 20% to Tibet's economic growth. [1] But at the same time, Tibet's tourism resources are also very fragile. With the influx of many tourists into Tibet, Tibet's national culture, customs, and habits have also been affected. [2] Therefore, it also advocated the protection of local businesses while developing tourism resources. [3]

Contents

Industrial development

Following the completion of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway in July 2006, tourism in Tibet expanded rapidly. In 2006, Tibet received more than 2.5 million tourists, including 150,000 foreigners. [4] In 2007, this figure rose to about 4 million. However, the 2008 Tibetan unrest closed tourist areas between March and June, and visitors dropped to 2.25 million that year.[ citation needed ]

Between January and June 2009, more than 2.7 million tourists visited Tibet, triple the number for the same period in 2008, providing 2.29 billion yuan in local revenue. [5] In 2010, Tibet received 6.85 million domestic and international tourists, with tourism revenues of 7.14 billion yuan, or 14 percent of its GDP. Between January and November 2012, Tibet received a record 10 million tourists, [6] surpassing the 8.69 million in 2011. [7] In 2015, tourists exceeded 20 million for the first time. It is expected that by 2020, Tibet will receive more than 30 million tourists annually, and the total annual tourism revenue will exceed 55 billion yuan. [8]

Travel resources

Namtso is the second largest lake in Tibet. NamTso scene.jpg
Namtso is the second largest lake in Tibet.

Natural landscape

Mount Everest North Slope Everest North Face toward Base Camp Tibet Luca Galuzzi 2006 edit 1.jpg
Mount Everest North Slope

The natural landscape of Tibet is divided into three categories: the temperate and humid alpine valleys of eastern Tibet, the alpine mountains and semi-arid river valleys of southern and western Tibet, and the alpine plateau deserts and meadows of northern and northwestern Tibet. Since the Tibetan Plateau, on which Tibet is situated, is an assemblage of a series of mountain systems, plateaus, broad valleys, and lake basins, surrounded by the Himalayas, Gangdisê, Tanggula, and Kunlun mountain ranges, there is a wide variety of topography and geomorphology. [10] [11]

Cultural attractions

Tibet's human landscape includes how Tibetans live and survive, ethnic customs, and temple culture. [12] The results of the third national cultural relics census show that there are now 4,277 immovable cultural relic sites in Tibet. Famous historical and cultural cities include Lhasa, Shigatse, and Gyantse. Attractions include the Potala Palace, the Jokhang, the Norbulingka, the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the Himalayas (Mount Everest), Mount Kailash, Namucuo, Yamdrok, and Yangbajing (including hot springs and glaciers). Among them, the Potala Palace in the center of Lhasa, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, To minimize the human damage caused by tourists to the Potala Palace's adobe architecture, the Potala Palace restricts the number of visitors and the time of the day. Therefore, finding a ticket to visit the Potala Palace is often tricky during the peak tourist season.

Holiday celebrations

Tourism festivals are held throughout Tibet to attract many tourists to Tibet. [8] Many of these festivals have solid religious overtones. [13] From the Tibetan New Year to the Peach Blossom Festival in Linzhi in the spring, the Yalong Cultural Festival in Shannan, the Everest Cultural Festival in Shigatse and the Lhasa Snowdon Festival in the summer, to the Tibet Tourism and Cultural Expo, festival tourism has become a booster for the development of tourism in Tibet. Among them, the Tibetan New Year is the most important festival in Tibet; [14] At the same time, the Snowdon Festival is held from the 15th of June to the 30th of July in the Tibetan calendar every year, during which there is a grand scale of the sunbathing Buddha ceremony and great and enthusiastic performances of Tibetan opera. [15] In addition, there are also the Monlam Prayer Festival, the Merangi Small Puja, the Ongkor Festival, the Arrow Plugging Festival, the Snana Yatra, the Lunar New Year Bratva Jumping Assembly, and many other festivals and events. [16]

Travel procedures

When mainland China residents travel to Tibet, they can enter Tibet with their Resident Identity Card. However, residents over 16 years old who wish to travel to border areas, such as Mount Everest, must hold a valid border permit. [17]

Example of entry letter for foreigners into Tibet Tibet Travel Permit for foreigners.jpg
Example of entry letter for foreigners into Tibet

Requirements for persons who do not hold a passport or ID card of the People’s Republic of China:

Overseas travelers will have their Tibet entry letters checked at airports, railway stations, and road checkpoints. Upon entering Tibet, these letters will be handed over to the group guide for safekeeping. At the end of the trip, the travel agency will return the letter to the TAR Tourism Bureau for filing. No letter of admission may be taken out of Tibet. [18]

Overseas travelers must apply for a Border Area Travel Permit (for foreigners) or a Border Guard Permit (for Taiwanese) based on the Tibet Entry Letter if they need to travel to border areas. Tibet shares borders with countries such as India and Pakistan, resulting in more sensitive areas for border defense activities.

This policy is according to the regulations of the China National Tourism Administration. Tibet's location in a plateau mountain environment, unique ethnic traditions, cultural monuments, and environmental concerns necessitate specific tourism policies. Due to the limited capacity of Tibet's transportation infrastructure and tourist service facilities, measures are in place to ensure order, safety, and adequate medical resources for tourists. For example, tourists from outside the country are not permitted to travel independently in Tibet; they must join organized and planned groups.

Travelers intending to enter Tibet can complete the necessary procedures at the offices of the TAR Tourism Bureau in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Golmud, or commission a travel agent to do so. Once the process is complete, the travel agency will issue the applicant a letter of entry to Tibet, which they can use to purchase air or bus tickets to Tibet.

Media

"Tourism in tibet" magazine is a comprehensive monthly magazine on tourism, fashion, and culture sponsored by the Tibet Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau. It introduces Tibet's geography and culture to readers and provides travel strategies and information. [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lhasa</span> Urban district of the City of Lhasa in Tibet

Lhasa, officially the Chengguan District of Lhasa City, is the inner urban district of Lhasa City, Tibet Autonomous Region, Southwestern China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samzhubzê, Xigazê</span> District in Tibet, China

Samzhubzê District is a district in the Tibet Autonomous Region of the China, and the administrative center of the prefecture-level city of Shigatse. Prior to 2014 it was known as the county-level city of Shigatse. It was the ancient capital of Ü-Tsang province and is the second largest city in Tibet with an estimated population of 117,000 in 2013. Samzhubzê is located at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo River and the Nyang River, about 250 km (160 mi) southwest of Lhasa and 90 km (56 mi) northwest of Gyantse, at an altitude of 3,840 metres (12,600 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norbulingka</span> Palace in Lhasa, Tibet

Norbulingka is a palace and surrounding park in Lhasa, China built from 1755. It served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas from the 1780s up until the 14th Dalai Lama's exile in 1959. Part of the "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace", Norbulingka is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was added as an extension of this Historic Ensemble in 2001. It was built by the 7th Dalai Lama and served both as administrative centre and religious centre. It is a unique representation of Tibetan palace architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lhünzhub County</span> County in Tibet, China

Lhünzhub County, or Linzhou County is a county in Lhasa towards the north-east of the main center of Chengguan, Tibet, China. It covers an area of 4,512 km2 (1,742 sq mi) and as of 2000 had a population of 50,895 people, almost all classified as rural. The southern portion, the Pengbo River Valley, contains fertile arable land, while the colder and more mountainous northern portion primarily supports grazing. The county has many monasteries, including the Reting Monastery.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibet Museum (Lhasa)</span> Museum in Lhasa, Tibet, China

The Tibet Museum is the official museum of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in Lhasa. Inaugurated on October 5, 1999, it is the first large, modern museum in the Tibet Autonomous Region. It has a collection of more than 520,000 artifacts, including pottery, jade, and Buddha statues, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. It has a collection of around 1,000 artifacts permanently on display related to the cultural history of Tibet, from examples of Tibetan art to architectural design throughout history such as Tibetan doors and beams. In order to fill the museum the Tibet aristocracy and religious establishment had their property confiscated by the Chinese Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet</span> Monument in Peoples Republic of China

The Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet stands in the southern part of the Potala square in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region just outside the protective zone and buffer zone of the World Heritage Site. It celebrates what the People's Republic of China calls the "Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" by the People's Liberation Army, or what the exiled Tibetan government calls the invasion and annexation of Tibet. The foundation stone was laid on July 18, 2001 by Hu Jintao, China's vice-president at the time. The monument was unveiled on May 22, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ongkor Festival</span> Festival

The Ongkor Festival is one of the most important Tibetan festivals of the Tibetan lunar year. Ongkor is usually held at the end of summer. It is a national intangible cultural heritage, popular in Lhasa, Shigatse, Shannan and other places in Tibet.

China Tibet Broadcasting is a broadcast network headquartered in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Its radio programmes were founded in 1959. Its English language audio broadcast is called Holy Tibet, broadcasts at 07:00 and 16:00 UTC every day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibet Autonomous Region People's Congress</span>

The People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region is the local people's congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Following decisions taken by the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, the founding of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the regional government was officially announced during the first session of the Tibetan People's Congress in September 1965 in Lhasa.

Lhasa Passenger Station or Lhasa Bus Station, often referred to as the "Western Suburb Bus Station", was a bus station in Lhasa.

The 62 Aid Projects to Tibet are the sixty-two projects of the People's Republic of China in support of the construction of Tibet, as determined by the Third Symposium on Tibet Work convened by the Central Government in 1994. These projects involved agriculture, animal husbandry and forestry, transportation, energy, post and telecommunications, and communications, with a cumulative total investment of over RMB 4.86 billion. These projects have been fully completed and put into operation.

Cisongtang Park is the largest water park in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region of China, located near Cisongtang Middle Road in Lhasa, adjacent to the Lhasa Racecourse, and containing an artificial lake. The park was built in 2007 on a sandy site.

Lhasa Martyrs' Mausoleum, or Lhasa Martyrs' Cemetery, is located next to No.4 Jinnong Lane, Jinzhu Middle Road, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The mausoleum was built in 1955 and was remodeled in 1991.

Lhasa Mass Culture and Sports Center, located in Liwu New District, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, is a comprehensive venue integrating stadium, gymnasium and Tibet Yak Museum, and is also the highest elevation modern stadium in the world.

Lhasa Cinema City, is a movie theater in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potala Palace Square</span> Square in Lhasa, Tibet, China

Potala Palace Square is a large square in the center of Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, located in the south side of the Potala Palace, formerly known as the Working People's Cultural Palace Square. In 1995, the Potala Palace Square was built on the basis of the original Tibetan Working People's Cultural Palace Square, and in August 1995, the Potala Palace Square was handed over to the management of the Tibetan Working People's Cultural Palace. The Potala Palace Square was rebuilt and expanded in 2005.

The Tibet Working People's Cultural Palace, or Cultural Palace of the Tibetan Working People was a famous original building in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, belonging to the Tibet Autonomous Region Federation of Trade Unions, located on the south side of the Potala Palace Square, which has now been demolished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibet Exhibition Center</span> Exhibition center in Lhasa, Tibet, China

The Tibet Exhibition Center is an exhibition center in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, located at No. 17, Norbulingka Road, Lhasa. The exhibition center is under the Department of Culture of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

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References

  1. ↑ 肖, 正春 (2016-08-05). "旅游业带动西藏经济社会全面发展" [Tourism drives Tibetan economic and social development in an all-round way]. www.vtibet.cn (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  2. ↑ 吴必虎, 余青 (2000). 中国民族文化旅游开发研究综述[Review of research on the development of ethnic cultural tourism] (in Chinese). 民族研究. p. 92.
  3. ↑ 宗, 晓莲 (2001). 西方旅游人类学研究述评[Review of Western Tourism Anthropology Research] (in Chinese). 民族研究. p. 87.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ "中国西藏之声网" [China Tibet Net]. Archived from the original on 2018-01-26. Retrieved 2016-08-05.
  5. ↑ "历年西藏旅游人数与收入统计-西藏旅行官网" [Statistics on the number of tourists and income in Tibet over the years-Tibet Travel Official Website]. www.tibetcn.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  6. ↑ 人民网., 《人民日报海外版》. "西藏迈向世界一流旅游目的地" [Tibet moves towards becoming a world-class tourist destination]. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20.
  7. ↑ 西藏旅行网., 新华网. "千万游客去西藏旅游考验西藏文物古迹安全" [Tens of millions of tourists traveling to Tibet test the safety of Tibetan cultural relics and historic sites]. Archived from the original on 2017-01-04. Retrieved 2012-03-21.
  8. 1 2 "西藏旅游前9个月接待游客2100万人次-西藏旅行官网" [Tibet Tourism Received 21 Million Tourists in the First 9 Months - Tibet Tourism Official Website]. www.tibetcn.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  9. ↑ 新华每日电讯. "色林错成为我国第二大咸水湖泊" [Selinco becomes the second largest saltwater lake in my country]. Archived from the original on 2015-11-30. Retrieved 2014-07-22.
  10. ↑ 陈, 显顺 (1999年). 可持续发展与西藏的环境保护事业 (in Chinese). 西藏研究. p. 84.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ↑ 巴, 登珠 (2000年). 西藏地学（综合）旅游资源调查 (in Chinese). p. 105.
  12. ↑ 徐, 嵩龄 (2001年). 旅游业应是西藏经济的主导产业 (in Chinese). 西藏研究. p. 60.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  13. ↑ 西藏手册., 中国西藏信息中心. "西藏的节日" [Tibetan festivals]. Archived from the original on 2016-03-25. Retrieved 2005-06-27.
  14. ↑ 《藏族风俗文化》 (in Chinese). 西藏人民出版社.
  15. ↑ "国家地理" [national geographic]. www.cctv.com. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  16. ↑ 中国西藏信息中心. "西藏各节日时间表" [Tibetan festival schedule]. Archived from the original on 2011-08-23. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  17. ↑ 西藏自治区人民政府. "边境证". Archived from the original on 2016-12-10. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  18. 1 2 "入藏函". Archived from the original on 2018-01-29. Retrieved 2016-12-15.
  19. ↑ 重庆畅游文化传播有限公司. 《西藏旅游》 (in Chinese). 西藏旅游杂志社. ISSN   1005-2526.


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