Metok [Photo/Agencies]

"The estimated tourist income in Metok will reach 10 billion yuan (1.6 billion US dollars) in five to six years after the road was opened", said Zhang Yuhui, executive deputy director of Metok County when he was asked about the prospect of the region’s tourism industry. The opening of the road to Metok, the so-called "isolated islandon the plateau" in Tibet, brought many visitors from far and near to the area.

Located in the southeast of Tibet Autonomous Region, Metok is in the lower reaches of Yarlung Tsangpo River. The name of the place, "metok", means "flower" in Tibetan. The remoteness of the location, together with other reasons such as climate and geological condition, and economic development,  led to the isolation of the region. Having no way linking it to the outside world until the end of 2013, Metok is the last county in China to have its road.

But the scenery here is marvelous. The place boasts the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world, great waterfalls, luxuriant rainforests, towering snow mountains and the unique one-thousand-year Menluo culture. Enjoying a subtropical humid climate, the tranquil Metok has already inspired people’s imagination of a "retreat away from the world" and become a popular destination of walking adventure. It was even ranked as the first among all the hiking routes in China.

However, going to Metok had once been only the privilege of the "brave" before the traffic was improved. After the opening of the road to Metok, self-driving travel became popular apart from hiking. Visitors from various places were attracted to this beautiful place.

"We had only 70,000 visitors in 2013, and the number grew into 90,000 in 2014. It is estimated that there will be another 50-percent growth this year, with the total number reaching 130,000", Zhang Yuhui said.

It seems that tourism has already been chosen by Metok as a way to achieve economic development.

People in Metok have depended on crop planting, such as rice and corn, and hunting for their livelihood for thousands of years. This kind of living, though appearing to be a pastoral life in the eyes of an outside, put a heavy burden of poverty on the shoulders of the local people.

Now, tourism brings them extra income. Bananas growing all over the mountain, once were only used to feed the pigs, find their market. The price has raised from two yuan (0.3 US dollars) per jin (half kilo) before the road was opened to the present five yuan (0.8 US dollars) per jin.

The price of stone pots is also rising year by year. The  sales revenue experienced a tenfold increase compared with that of two years earlier in 2014.

The view of people in Metok is now gradually broadening to increase income. For many of them, running transportation or a family inn has already been part of the future plan.

At the same time, however, there are still people worrying: will the opening of the road lead Metok to the beaten track of attaching importance to development yet looking down on environmental protection, just as many tourist attractions have experienced before? 

"Our development concept is not to exploit, but to protect. We won’t develop any other tourism projects apart from the necessary traffic and accommodation facilities. No companies will be allowed to undertake the development in principle. Developing high-end tourism will be our aim in order to reduce man-made damages and keep the natural scenery of Metok," Zhang Yuhui said.