"The festival will serve as a strong start for the recovery and development of the tourism industry here this year," said Zhang.

Last year, due to COVID-19, the city's total tourism revenue was approximately 4 billion yuan. This year, it is expected to reach 8.5 billion yuan, according to Zhang.

Clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. Over the past few years, the value of the area's natural resources has gained notice. People in the city used to fell trees, but now they plant them to make the place more beautiful and attractive to visitors.

Zhang said the city plants trees every year now. "Part of the tree planting efforts were government-led, and people also took the initiative."

Despite the strong negative impact of COVID-19, Xizang has seen fast tourism recovery, with Nyingchi taking the lead in the region, he added.

"We are confident that the city will more than double last year's tourism revenue this year," Zhang said.