Artists perform on stage during the Fourth China Tibet Tourism and Culture Expo in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Sept. 7, 2018. The five-day expo will last until Sept. 11. (Xinhua/Chogo)

Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region will reward travel agencies for hosting tourists in the winter, as part of an effort to further boost the region's tourism.

The new round of the "Visiting Tibet in Winter" project will kick off on Tuesday and will last until March 15, during which entrance will be free for some A-level scenic spots, including the iconic Potala Palace and Namtso Lake, the Tibet Daily reported Monday.

According to the Tibet tourism development department, this winter, travel agencies could receive a reward of 100,000 yuan ($14,000) for receiving 1,000 tourists and 50,000 yuan for every 100 additional tourists. Each agency could win a maximum of 800,000 yuan in rewards.

Three star hotels should charge half the usual price or lower and flight tickets should be discounted by at least 50 percent in the winter season.

Rewards will also be given to agencies that arrange chartered airplanes and trains.

The favorable policies could solve the problem of winter tourism "hibernation" in Tibet, said a person in charge of the Tibet tourism development department. 

"We hope more tourists from domestic or overseas can enjoy the grand beauty and culture of Tibet in winter," he said.

Official data showed that more than 30 million tourists visited Tibet in 2018, a year-on-year increase of 31.5 percent, the highest figure since 2013, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.

From January to February, the region hosted 13.4 million visits, a 20.2 percent year-on-year increase, bringing a tourism income of 14.9 billion yuan, the China Tibet News reported in September.

The first round of the "Visiting Tibet in Winter" project was launched in February 2018 and provided free admission to 115 tourist attractions in the region.

Global Times