The government of Tibet Autonomous Region has announced it will officially re-open the area to tourists on May 1. Lhasa re-opened Potala Palace on March 26 for the first time since business was suspended due to recent riots.
In recent years, tourism has become an important part of the Tibetan economy. In 2007, the region received more than 2.7 million visitors, with the government hoping to grow that to 3.3 million in 2008.