Tibet to improve infrastructure for tourist boom

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Tibet will improve its infrastructure and public services to cater to the tourist boom, said Padma Choling, chairman of the Tibet autonomous regional government here Sunday.

Padma Choling, speaking at a press conference on the sideline of the annual parliament session, said Tibet received 5.61 million tourists last year, compared with 2.2 million in 2008.

"We are glad to see more tourists are coming ,which is an impetus for the development of Tibet," said the official.

The local government will step up efforts to improve public services and tourist environment, as well as the protection of culture relics and natural environment, to cope with the changes brought by the tourist boom, he said.