Lhasa's tourism industry will reopen to the world on May 1, the government of the capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region said yesterday, the official chinatibetnews.com reported today.

The reopening will bring more than 100,000 people involved in the industry back to work after the three-day unrest last month in the world-renowned tourism city, the report said.

At least 18 civilians and one police officer have been confirmed killed in the riots, which also resulted in 382 injuries. Damage is estimated at more than 244 million yuan (US$34.59 million), according to previous reports.

The tourism industry is the backbone of Lhasa's service industry which takes up to 70 percent of the GDP of the city in northwestern China.

Lhasa received more than 2.7 million visitors last year and aimed to increase the number by 30 percent to 3.3 million this year, the report said.

The city reopened its landmark Potala Palace on March 26, for the first time since its business was suspended after the riot, a move the regional government said was to protect the precious cultural heritage and the safety of tourists.

More than 800 rioters in the unrest have been caught while about 280 offenders surrendered to the police, the deputy Party Secretary of Lhasa said, adding that those apprehended will face trial by May 1.

Last week, journalists from 17 media outlets from foreign countries as well as China's Taiwan and Hong Kong regions arrived in Lhasa to see the aftermath of the turmoil which involved beatings, smashing of property and ransacking by more than 300 rioters.

(Shanghai Daily April 3, 2008)