Is it a fee to enjoy the scenery along the G349 National Highway in Shigatse, Tibet? The Shigatse Jiangzi Culture and Tourism Bureau issues an apology!

G349,.On the evening of July 30, we noticed statements on the Douyin platform regarding the "place where you have to pay to stand on the national highway and enjoy the scenery" at the Karola Glacier Scenic Area in our county.The People's Government of Gyantse County paid high attention and immediately set up a joint working group led by the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau to enter the scenic area to conduct investigations and standardize rectifications.

The relevant situation is hereby reported as follows:

Upon verification, the issue is confirmed. The Karola Glacier Scenic Area did indeed have staff improperly interfering with the parking of vehicles on National Highway G349 and obstructing pedestrians from taking photos outside the scenic area.

To protect the legitimate rights and interests of tourists and create a civilized and orderly tourism environment, the joint working group conducted serious actions against the scenic area management companies and related responsible parties on the afternoon of July 31 in accordance with laws and regulations. The aforementioned violations were resolutely banned and comprehensively rectified.The occurrence of this incident also exposed issues of inadequate supervision and lax law enforcement by our county’s culture and tourism department. We will take corrective actions across the board, strengthen rectification, establish visitor service and dispute resolution centers in scenic areas, carry out regular on-site law enforcement, handle tourist complaints on location, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of tourists.Here, we offer our sincere apologies to all our visitors.Gyantse cultural tourism will always be committed to respecting and safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of tourists, striving to create a harmonious tourist haven and a sound legal environment on the snowy plateau.We sincerely ask all sectors of society to supervise and warmly welcome valuable opinions from all sides.

Jiangzi County Culture and Tourism Bureau

July 31, 2023