IMPORTANT NOTICE

Tibet again closed to foreigners: travel agents

Foreign tourists will be barred from going to Tibet until the end of July, travel agents said Monday, the second time this year the troubled region has been closed to overseas visitors.

"At the moment we're not admitting foreign tourists," an employee at China Travel Service in the regional capital Lhasa told AFP by phone, adding the agency had received a notice saying this would be enforced until July 26.

A worker at the Tibet Youth Travel Service agency confirmed the ban, saying it begins on Tuesday and was linked to celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of China's rule over Tibet, reportedly scheduled for July.

The official Global Times newspaper quoted the Lhasa-based manager of a travel website as saying they would not accept tourists holding foreign passports until mid-August due to "safety concerns."

The regional tourism bureau refused to comment when contacted by AFP, and a spokesman for the Tibetan government said he was unaware of the situation.

Tensions run deep in Tibet, where many Tibetans accuse the government of trying to dilute their culture, and cite concern about what they view as increasing domination by China's majority Han ethnic group.

Disquiet spilled over into violent anti-government riots in Lhasa in March 2008, which then spread to neighbouring provinces with significant Tibetan populations.

In the wake of the 2008 unrest, foreign tourists were banned from travelling to the Himalayan region for more than 12 months.

In March this year, Tibet was once again closed to foreigners ahead of the third anniversary of the riots, but travel agencies said overseas visitors had been able to visit from April to June.

Even when foreigners are allowed in, authorities require them to obtain special permits -- in addition to Chinese visas -- and also travel in tour groups.

China, which says living standards in the region have improved markedly since it started ruling the region in 1951, has increased security in Tibetan areas since the 2008 unrest.

But reports of unrest still surface. One region in the southwestern province of Sichuan was hit by demonstrations earlier this year after a Tibetan monk self-immolated and died in an apparent anti-government protest.

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CERTIFICATE OF YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION REQUIRED FOR CUSTOMERS TRAVELING TO BRAZIL (SAO PAULO)

Some areas of Brazil are known to have yellow fever. As a precautionary measure, it is recommend that passengers get their yellow fever vaccination prior to their trip to Brazil.

Concurrently, the Philippine and Singapore governments require all passengers from 1 year old arriving from Brazil to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate upon arrival.

Passengers are advised to have the vaccine in the Philippines as they may have difficulty finding an agency to administer the vaccine in Brazil.

The sole agency authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to administer the Yellow Fever Vaccine is the Bureau of Quarantine in Manila.

Clinic Address:
25th Corner Delgado Street, Port Area, Manila
(Located behind the Manila Hotel, before WGA Super Ferry)
They administer the vaccine on the following schedules:
Mondays thru Fridays, from 8:00 - 11:00am and 1:00 - 3:00pm;
On Saturdays from 8:00 - 10:00am only
Contact numbers: 63 2 3019107 / 301-9101 / 527-4678

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