China keeps Tibet closed

1 China

The Chinese government has changed its mind and will not open Tibet to tourists again on May 1, as it had previously announced.

The Tibetan Tourism Bureau told tour operators late last week to stop arranging trips beginning on that date.

Some groups have suggested that travel to Tibet may not be reopened until after the August Olympics.

The uproar surrounding the Olympic torch may have played into the decision to delay the reopening.

Protesters turned out in force along the torch’s route in London, Paris and San Francisco to show their displeasure at the crackdown on demonstrators in Tibet who are agitating against Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama has asked for an investigation of the clashes between Chinese police and protesters in Tibet, where he says hundreds may have been killed.

President Bush, meanwhile, has said he will attend the Beijing Games, but it was uncertain last week whether he would attend the opening ceremonies.

Tourism, a pillar industry in the Himalayan region, had come to a virtual standstill after monk-led protests last month triggered the government crackdown and international condemnation.

The biggest unrest in years paralyzed life in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. Hotels evacuated guests, and travel agencies canceled trips.

As of last week, the State Department maintained a travel alert for Tibet and neighboring areas, saying that “American citizens should defer travel to Tibet at this time.”

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Ching-Ching Ni

2 Dubai

Fire destroyed 14 shops in the city’s old market, the Dubai Civil Defense said. No casualties were reported, and the cause was under investigation. It was the second big blaze in Dubai in a week. The first, which erupted in a warehouse containing fireworks, killed at least eight people.

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Associated Press

3 Greece

More than 300 people, including 58 Americans, were evacuated March 13 from a local tourist ship after it ran aground off an island near Athens, Greek authorities said. No injuries were reported. The accident was under investigation.

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Associated Press

4 Brazil

JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman plans to start a Brazilian airline next year. He said that the venture was not connected with JetBlue but that some former JetBlue executives would join it.

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Associated Press

5 Cuba

Raul Castro’s government last month opened luxury hotels and resorts to all Cubans, ending a ban despised throughout the island as “tourist apartheid.” Lifting the restrictions was another step toward creating a consumer economy in the socialist state.

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Associated Press

Caution spots

The State Department recently issued warnings or alerts for these areas:

Eritrea, because of border tensions and restrictions on travel outside the capital city of Asmara.

Tunisia, because of security concerns that were linked to the reported kidnapping of two Western tourists in the southern desert region.

travel@latimes.com