China boosts tourism around Shangrila

Tourism in southwest China’s Khampa region was the subject of a conference held in Shangrila county in Yunnan province. Tourism authorities intend to create the "greater Shangrila ecological tourism area" in the Khampa region and jointly develop tourism in Deqen in Yunnan province, Qamdo in the Tibet Autonomous Region, Garze in Sichuan province and Yushu in Qinghai province. "Building the greater Shangrila ecological tourism area fits into the plan for rebuilding Yushu," said Wang Dongmei, deputy head of the Yushu tourism department.  China.org.cn reports that the project aims to promote the preservation of traditional Tibetan culture and local ecology while improving infrastructure and people’s livelihoods in the region. Inevitably, James Hilton’s famous novel, Lost Horizon (first published in 1933 and still a best seller), which popularized the mythical Shangri La, will be used in the publicity.