Around 300 thousand people traveled to Tibet via the new Qinghai-Tibet railway in July, a 40 percent increase over last year.

The Development and Reform Commission of the Tibet Autonomous Region says the new railway has also helped to boost the local restaurant, finance and telecom industries.

It also promises that local authorities will strengthen their efforts to protect the environment, to prevent it from suffering under the pressure of increased tourism.

Meanwhile, the commission says the railway will spur infrastructure development by facilitating the transport of goods in and out of the region.

It estimates the new line will transport one million tons worth of goods into Tibet every year, saving around 200 million yuan or 8 million US dollars, off the cost of road freight.

The 2,000 kilometer line linking Tibet with the rest of China started running on July 1st this year.