The construction of the first-phase project of the expo cultural garden will kick off in March 2016, which is expected to become another national 5A-level tourist attraction in Tibet, China Tibet News reported.

In the future, the National Cultural Industrial Demonstration Base - "Thonmiling Tibetan Cultural Expo Garden" will develop various landscapes including a Lingka (Tibetan garden), themed landscape sites and a green belt. It will also provide tourist services such as catering, recreation, souvenirs shops and others.

According to the head of the Gangdi Cultural Industry Group, the main items of the first-phase project will consist of a Tibetan Thangka museum, a Thonmi Sambhota memorial, a Tsangyang Gyatso memorial, a King Gesar story-telling and singing house, a museum of Tibetan medicine, a museum of Tibetan history, a panorama-view house of the five major Tibetan-inhabited areas, a museum of Tibetan art, a Tibetan cultural research center and a Lhamo Lazhuo international Thangka college.

"The investment for the project is estimated to be 1.26 billion yuan and be completed in May 2017," said the head of the garden.

The "Thonmiling Tibetan Cultural Expo Garden" project is divided into three phases. The construction of its first-phase landmark building - the Tibetan Thangka museum started in March 2014, and will be completed by December 2015. The second phase is expected to be finished by the end of 2019 with the aim to strengthen education and training of intangible cultural heritages. The third phase will focus on enhancing research and development of ethnic handicrafts.