UPDATE: Tibet closed to (some) foreign visitors
19th June 2012
Chinese authorities have begun issuing new permits for overseas visitors to Tibet. However, they will not issue permits to British, Norwegian, Korean or Australian travellers
Two weeks ago, Chinese authorities stopped granting permits for overseas visitors to Tibet. In a bizarre U-turn the Chinese have begun re-issuing permits to the region, but some nationalities are still being kept out.
Travellers from Norway, Korea, Australia and Britain are being stopped from visiting the region, however no explanations have been given for this.
Rules instated on 21 May require all overseas visitors to the region to travel in groups of five or more and they must be of the same nationality.
Travellers hoping to visit the region this summer are warned to make sure flights are fully refundable as the situation is so unpredictable.
Fiona Marshall from KE Adventure, a UK tour operator that offers multiple trips to Tibet said: “The new rules now make it virtually impossible for any UK tour operator to offer Tibet as a destination, which is a great shame.”
Director of KE Adventure Tim Greening added that: “Nowadays you never know what is going to happen next in Tibet, I think the latest total exemption of British nationals is to do with our attitude to the Dalai Lama.”
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