An official from Tibet has stated that the region expects more tourists and that such a development will not necessarily result in damage to the environment, it has been reported.
Hao Peng, deputy party secretary of the Tibet region, also stated that so far this year the region has attracted some 3.5 million visitors, up from 2.5 million last year.
Mr Peng added that the Chinese government had taken the environmental impact of tourism into consideration as the sector develops in the region.
"Lhasa, for example, is the first city in China to abolish the use of white plastic bags and there are always residents and officers prepared to pick up garbage at scenic spots," he told the China Daily.
Elsewhere in China, the Olympic Games are due to be held in Beijing in 2008.
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