China has closed Tibet to overseas travelers from Thursday until the end of March, travel agents told CNN.
Courtesy Chen Jianliang
Peaks and prairies —
But tour operators and hotels say this matters little to their business, with domestic Chinese tourists eager to see the region's yak-filled grasslands and snow-capped peaks.
Courtesy Chen Jianliang
Serene spaces —
Chen Jianliang, a student from Shenzhen in southern China, spent 28 days cycling across Tibet in 2012 and loved it. "Most people are tired of the cityscape; they go to Tibet for its serenity," he says.
Courtesy Chen Jianliang
Tourism hotspot —
According to the Tibet Autonomous Region' Tourism Development Committee, some 17.5 million tourists visited Tibet in the first nine months of 2015, 36% more than the same period last year.
Courtesy Chen Jianliang
Limited access —
All foreign tourists need specific permits to enter Tibet.
Courtesy Chen Jianliang
Routine restrictions —
Mei Zhang, the founder of travel agency Wild China, said the bans were initially disruptive but her company now routinely declines to take bookings for Tibet trips in March.
