Tibet seeks to balance nature, tourism

Visitors bring cash, but ecology more important, region's chairman says

The Tibet autonomous region will put environmental conservation ahead of tourism development, officials said at the Fourth China Tibet Tourism and Cultural Expo, which is scheduled to close on Tuesday.

The region's tourism industry has been developing quickly in recent years and has become a growth driver, Qizhala, chairman of the regional government, said during the expo. Tourism contributes at least 30 percent of Tibet's GDP, he said.