Tibet: popular summer travel destination

　　BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhuaent) -- Tibet has become one of the most popular travel destinations during summer for residents in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, especially as the annual Shoton Festival(Yogurt Festival) in Tibet draws near.

　　Since June, prices for package tours to Tibet have kept going up, up 1,500 yuan (219.6 U.S. dollars) each on average each month. "We have been busy buying railway tickets and tickets to tourist attritions in Tibet. We didn't expect Tibet tours during this summer holiday would be so popular," said a staff of a travel agent in Hangzhou.

　　Tourists pose for a photo near Namco Lake, the highest saltwater lake of the world at 4,718 meters above the sea level, located at the boundary of Damxung and Baingoin counties, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, July 26, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

　　A product of flying from Hangzhou to Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, and then taking a train to Lhasa was asking for 6,180 yuan (904.75 dollars) in June. In July, it shot up to 7,580 yuan (1109.71 dollars).

　　In August when the Shoton Festival is to be held, the price would go up to 9,980 yuan (1461.07 dollars). "It's almost 10,000 yuan (1,464 dollars)," said the staff. "In recent years, we have never seen such a high price, when a Tibet package during the Shoton was only around 7,800 yuan (1141.92 dollars). "

　　Tourists rest in a tent in Damxung County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, June 26, 2009. Tibet Autonomous Region received 720,237 tourists in the first five months this year, 190 percent more than the same period last year. (Xinhua/Chogo)

　　"Traveling to Tibet is really becoming popular and prices see a 20 percent increase," added the staff.

　　At the moment, the most difficult thing to get are railway tickets to Lhasa and entrance tickets to the Potala Palace.

　　"A one-way railway ticket from Xining to Lhasa is 510 yuan (74.66 dollars). But the commission would be 1,000 (146.4 dollars) to 1,500 yuan (219.6 dollars). Meanwhile, commission on the tickets to Potala Palace is three times higher. In June, it's only 100 yuan (14.64 dollars). But in August, it would be 300 yuan (43.92 dollars)."