Travel to Tibet on hold during celebrations

China has banned any foreigners from travelling into Tibet, as the region celebrates the 60th anniversary of communist China. Travel agents spread the word as the government tourist office informed members of the public that travellers would be banned from entering Tibet as of the 24th of September through until the 8th of October.

The Tibet Tourism Bureau will refuse to provide visitors with passes into Tibet during this period but there is no further information as to the reasons behind the ban. Official workers at the bureau have refused to comment about the travel ban and some travel agents are claiming that the ban has already been implemented as of Monday last week.

The move is being taken as a rather secretive affair with no one willing to comment on the matter. There are often concerns surrounding the area and Tibet and China are no strangers to controversy. The celebrations will mark 60 years to the date when Mao Zedong announced the start of the ‘People’s Republic of China’ at Tiananmen Square. China has been known to ban foreign visitors to Tibet in the past. Trouble flared again in 2008 and more recently in March this year. The spiritual leader of the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama continues to live in India in exile.