The Chinese government has let up on travel restrictions to Tibet, after a nearly year-long ban that barred foreigners from visiting the hotly contested country.
Tour operators welcome this news, eager to start their tours once more.
The ban has been lifted for nearly all tourists to the area; never one to ease up completely, though, China will not let tourists roam the country freely. Travelers will only be able to visit on organized trips put together by the Chinese government, or else by government-approved companies.
Still, this is a big move for the two countries who have experienced much strife, in a tug-of-war for land and power that has spanned centuries.
"This is a very significant relaxation of the restrictions," Heather Chan, general manager of Chinese specialist company CTS horizons, told British publication Skift. "It has been very frustrating having to tell people wanting to go that the territory was effectively closed. There are so many who want to see those stunning lakes and snow-capped mountains."
After protests began in Tibet against Chinese rule in June 2012, China's government quickly banned all travel to the country that has experienced unrest for years.
In one act of protest, two Tibetans burned themselves to death outside Jokhang temple in Lhasa, a widely visited Buddhist shrine that is a popular tourist destination.
China has banned travel to Tibet before, typically after times of political uprisings or religious festivals.
In 2008, tourists were banned from the region for a number of protests in Lhasa. Right before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese ended the ban.
Now, tours in Tibet will be closely monitored and tourists must acquire a special visa before embarking on their trip. Tours will be given by government-appointed guides, and all tour operators are required to clear their arrangements and tour routes through Chinese companies.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
