An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 16, 2025 shows the snow scenery of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)

LHASA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region saw 31.28 million tourist visits in the first half of 2025, up 11.67 percent year on year, local authorities said Monday.

The figure represents 41.71 percent of the region's annual target, according to the regional culture and tourism department.

Of the total, domestic tourist visits reached 31.09 million, up 11.57 percent, while inbound tourist arrivals surged 31.2 percent to 196,400.

Tourism revenue in the region totaled 31.55 billion yuan (about 4.4 billion U.S. dollars) in the period, marking a 10.18 percent year-on-year increase.

The region's cultural industry also posted robust growth in the first six months of the year, with total output exceeding 7.72 billion yuan, up 21.2 percent year on year. More than 53,000 cultural events were held in the region during the period, the department said.