Photo from Xinhua shows tourists are taking photos in Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon scenic spot in Nyingchi, east of Tibet on November 21.

Photo from Xinhua shows two tourists are taking photos in Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon scenic spot in Nyingchi, east of Tibet on November 21.

Photo from Xinhua shows two tourists are taking photos at the foot of  Namjiabarwa peak in Nyingchi, east of Tibet on November 21.

Photo from Xinhua shows tourists are taking photos in Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon scenic spot in Nyingchi, east of Tibet on November 21.

The splendid natural scenery in Nyingchi Prefecture, east of Tibet Autonomous Region and the coming of Gongbo New Year festival which fell on November 17 drive the winter tour in this region to a new height.

In spite of summer, the usual hottest tourist season for Tibet, with the development and promotion of "winter tour in Tibet" by related tourist department, Tibet has attracted more and more tourists with its specific Tibetan festival and stunning natural scenery.

When it just pasted 8 a.m. on November 21, Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon scenic spot in Nyingchi Prefecture ushered in its first tourist group.  Even though entering the slack season in November, this scenic spot still can receive some 50 tourists each day, sources from a staff of the spot.

Suo Qiang, a tourist from Xijiang told reporter that he will stay in Tibet for about 7 days and will pay a visit to Lhasa, Xigaze besides Nyingchi. "Winter Tibet shows you a  unique lingering charm beyond imagination which can not experience in other seasons," he added.

Meanwhile, the distinctive custom in Nyingchi also boosts winter tourism. With the fall-on of Gongbo New Year festival on November 17, a tourist group from Guangdong Province came to Zongguo Village, Nyingchi Town on the next day to share the festival happiness with local Tibetan people.

Besides, Lhasa will host the 3rd Tibetan New Year Custom & Tourism Festival on February 14, 2010, while, the Tibetan New Year in Xigaze will be held one month prior to that.

The Tourism Department of Tibet Autonomous Region has begun to promote "winter tour in Tibet " in 2007 and it had received 430,000 tourists last year, according to Wang Songping, vice director of the department. The "winter tour in Tibet"  this year has kicked off from the mid-October and related scenic spots have given some discounts in ticket prices since then.