Tibet is becoming more accessible to foreigners. Overseas tourists will find it easier and faster to apply for a travel permit to Tibet this year as the regional government is making efforts to boost tourism.
The Tibet Autonomous Region plans to halve the time required for issuing travel permits to overseas tourists by 2019, Qi Zhala, chairman of the regional government, announced on Thursday. Now, it typically takes at least 15 days to receive the permits after submitting the requested documents.
The Third Pole
Tibet plans to brand itself as the world’s “Third Pole” and hopes to attract 40 million visits from tourists this year by providing more convenient and friendly services as well as significantly improving accessibility for visitors, Qi Zhala said in a government work report to the annual session of the regional people’s congress, which started on Thursday in Lhasa.
According to the report, the region received 33.68 million tourist visits in 2018, representing a 31.5 percent year-over-year increase.
“The number of overseas tourists in Tibet has been increasing steadily in recent years as the region has been more open to overseas tourists.”
Hong Wei, Tibet Tourist Development Bureau
Overseas travelers require a Tibet Travel Permit in addition to a Chinese visa to visit. Officials said this additional requirement is based on Tibet’s unique ethnic traditions, cultural heritage, reception capacity, and ecological protection needs.
Hong Wei said Tibet started drafting measures to simplify the application procedure last year, and they will be introduced as soon as possible. Additionally, instead of having to send all application materials to Tibet, overseas tourists in the future will be able to apply for permits in other cities, such as Beijing, Xi’an, and Chengdu, he added.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
According to the government work report, Tibet also plans to build an international tourism cooperation zone in the Gangdise Mountain range (Kailash Range). The zone includes the sacred religious destinations of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.
Pilgrims from the autonomous region and neighboring countries such as India and Nepal believe that walking a complete circle around Kailash can bring prosperity and purify one of the sins of a lifetime.
Tibet aims to increase the number of overseas pilgrims visiting the region by 50 percent in 2019, Qi Zhala said.
Source China Dialy, we will update in further
Woaber, Tenzin Travel
Read our next update on this topic.
Tenzin Travel is the best Tibetan Travel agency in Tibet. Our agency is one of Tibet’s most experienced tour operators, with over 20 years in the industry. Founded by a local Tibetan family with decades of expertise as guides, managers, and route planners. We craft personalized itineraries for every traveler. Our agency is the highest-rated and most recommended Tibet travel agency on TripAdvisor, Google, and Lonely Planet.
We can make holistic arrangements for your trip to Tibet. Including a Tibet Travel Permit, a Tibetan tour guide, flight tickets, train tickets, vehicle arrangements, and hotel bookings in Tibet.
Our Lhasa office is just steps from Barkhor Square. All our Tibetan team ensures deep cultural, linguistic, and religious insights, setting us apart from other agencies.
Beyond tourism, we support Tibetan communities by donating a portion of each tour to local projects. Your travel to Tibet is about more than profit—it’s about the opportunity for us to give back.
