(Yicai Global) Jan. 31 -- To entice more tourists to visit Tibet in winter, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region will let tourists visit all attractions in Tibet for free from February to April this year, it announced today.

Governments at varying levels will make good economic losses from operators' foregone gate receipts.

Also, the price of three-star hotels and above will be 50 percent or less of preferential prices at the same time last year and the cost of tourist vehicles will be under 50 percent of the peak season price. Local governments will also give subsidies or awards to tourists and organizers for travelers arriving by air and groups coming in chartered airplanes and special trains.

China's tourist attractions' ticket charges are a big part of their income, with some popular sites demanding several hundred yuan. Visitors, especially those with large families, need to view such tickets as travel costs to be factored in in advance when traveling in mainland China.

High altitudes and extremely cold weather -- the region is dubbed 'Earth's third pole' -- mean not all tourists can adapt to Tibet's natural environment and winter is thus the off-season for its travel industry.