Visitor numbers to the Tibet region reached 63 million last year, its highest ever.

Travel agencies in Hong Kong, meanwhile, said more people from the SAR have visited Tibet since the launch of a direct flight in February.

The Potala Palace in Lhasa is considered a must-see attraction by many travellers.

Speaking in an interview with RTHK, Kunga Tashi, deputy director at the palace's management office, said the number of tourists has increased notably after the pandemic, rising by up to 30 percent each year over the past two years.

He said there are moves to limit the number of visitors, to ensure better tourism experience and protect the landmark.

"If we look at 2024, the number of trips was about 2.01 million. We have set restrictions on the visitor headcount to the palace, capped at 7,000 each day," he said.

The number of visits by Hong Kong travellers to Tibet is on the rise after a direct flight service between the SAR and Lhasa was launched in late February.

This came after Beijing announced the expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme last year to allow residents from Lhasa to visit the SAR on a solo basis, instead of being part of a tour group.

Some SAR agencies told RTHK more people have expressed interest in heading to Tibet since the launch of the direct flight, and group tours have been fully booked through May.

A Hong Kong visitor travelling to Lhasa told RTHK that she enjoyed visiting the region.

"We have just arrived from the Nyingchi area... I think Lhasa is a must-visit city if you travel to Tibet," she said.