By Kari Huus, msnbc.com
Beijing has banned foreign tourists from traveling to Tibet, reports from the region said Thursday. The news comes amid growing unrest in the Chinese-ruled region, including self-immolations by ethnic Tibetans.
Travel agents have been told that the Himalayan region is off-limits to foreign travelers, the Voice of America and other news services reported on Thursday. They said there was no word on when the ban might be lifted.
The ban comes at the start of the Saga Dawa festival celebrating the birth of Buddha, an event on the Tibetan calendar that traditionally prompts a large influx of Buddhist pilgrims and tourists to Tibet.
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