LHASA - Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region pooled more than 500 million yuan (about $76.2 million) into tourism infrastructure projects to boost its tourism industry in 2021, said the regional tourism development department Wednesday.

The money went to the construction of 39 tourism infrastructure projects and public service facilities across the region, as well as significant cultural protection projects and tourism projects in border and rural areas, said Wang Songping, head of the department.

Last year, breakthroughs were made in attracting investment for tourism in the region, with 126 projects signed and an investment of 3.6 billion yuan in place.

The area received over 41.5 million visitors in 2021, increasing 18.5 percent compared with figures in 2020. Tourism revenue generated during the period totaled 44.2 billion yuan, rising 20.6 percent.

Rural tourism attracted more than 12.7 million tourists last year, creating over 64,500 jobs.