The Chinese government is once again banning foreign tourists from the region of Tibet for July and perhaps much of the month of August, reports Agence France-Presse.
Although the government has yet to make any official announcement, travel agents with the China Travel Service and Tibet Youth Travel Service have told AFP that the region will be off-limits to tourists during the summer.
The ban is likely due to the upcoming 60th anniversary of China’s rule over Tibet, with celebrations planned throughout the troubled region.
The restrictions, if true, will mark the second time this year that Tibet has been off-limits to visitors. In March, the Chinese government closed the borders to foreigners, citing concerns about the weather and overcrowding during the Tibetan new year’s celebrations.
Some, however, suggested the restrictions had more to do with the risk of riots and protests in the troubled region. March 14 marked the third anniversary of rioting that killed 13 Han Chinese and caused a military crackdown which led to the deaths of almost 200 Tibetans and thousands of arrests.