People visit the Barkhor Street in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Feb. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

LHASA, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Since 2021, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region has spent 20.16 billion yuan (2.83 billion U.S. dollars) on cultural tourism infrastructure, national park conservation facilities, and the preservation and improvement of its historic towns, a local official said on Tuesday.

Of the funds, 1.97 billion yuan was spent on construction projects, including a regional planetarium, an art museum, and a culture, radio, television and art center, according to Weiqiang, director of the regional development and reform commission, at a regional conference on cultural tourism development.

These projects have showcased Xizang's cultural tourism achievements and become a new engine to promote the development of the region's cultural tourism industry, he said.

Data shows that from January to September of this year, Xizang received over 57 million domestic and international tourists, up 15 percent year on year. The total tourism expenditure in the region surpassed 67 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 13 percent.