From the Globe and Mail:
Tibet’s capital, Lhasa, is bursting at the seams with tourists. It already receives so many tourists that the famed Potala Palace, the ancient symbol of Tibet, has imposed a daily limit on visitors. Even humble Tibetan pilgrims are turned away when the daily maximum is reached.
But the tourism boom is about to get much bigger. China’s new high-altitude railway to Tibet is expected to open the floodgates to a massive influx of new visitors — an extra 4,000 a day when it is in full operation.
Until now, tourism was restricted by the need for an expensive air flight to Lhasa or an arduous bus trip of up to 50 hours from the nearest neighbouring province. But the train, with its cheap subsidized tickets, will eliminate the final obstacles that long protected Tibet from outside pressures. [Full text]
