Tibet Autonomous Region aims to host three million tourists this year, the regional bureau said.

It received an estimated 2.2 million tourist arrivals in 2008.

Seriously affected by the March 14 riot, Sichuan earthquake and tremors in the region, Tibet's tourism experienced a recession but it has been reviving, said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government.

The riot caused a 69-percent slump in the number of tourists and a 72-percent slump in revenue in the first half of 2008.

In 2007, the region attracted a record high of four million tourists, reaping more 4.8 billion yuan (about 702 million U.S. dollars).