LHASA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Tibet Autonomous Region saw a record 4.51 million air passengers in 2017, up 11.9 percent from the previous year, the regional civil aviation administration said.

Tibet's civil aviation industry has been growing rapidly, becoming an important driver for the regional economy.

The plateau region has five airports and 79 air routes, connecting with 42 cities in China and overseas.

In 2017, Tibetan airports handled 41,299 flights and 35,053 tonnes of cargo, up 6.9 percent and 16.1 percent, respectively, according to the administration.