China bars foreigners from Tibet

The month marks the 50th anniversary of the escape into exile of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

In March last year, Tibet witnessed a wave of violent anti-China protests - the worst unrest there for 20 years.

Tibetan exiles are planning to boycott their own New Year celebrations on Wednesday in protest at Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama has called for Tibetans not to celebrate New Year, or Losar, partly in memory of those killed or jailed in a crackdown after last year's riots.

China 10-night tour, with air, from $959

The Real Deal: Round-trip international airfare to Shanghai with a connecting flight in Beijing on an Air China carrier, ten nights' accommodations, most meals (10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and 7 dinners), transportation by private bus, guided sightseeing tours, and the services of an English-speaking tour guide, from $959 per person — plus taxes starting at $383.

When: Depart on Nov. 5, 12, 27; add $29 for Dec. 3, 10; $300 for March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21, 28, July 23, Aug. 6, 20, Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; $440 for June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 9; $700 for Dec. 24, 2009. (The early-bird discount takes $300 off listed package rates for departures Nov. 1–30 and $200 off rates for departures March 1–Oct. 31.)

China targets scalpers and ticket offices amid Spring Festival travel scandal

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- China has sent five inspection teams to the country's traffic hot spot areas to tackle the ticket scalping and issuing scandal, as millions of Chinese scramble for a ticket back home for the Spring Festival, according to a notice released Monday by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on its website.

The teams will target ticket selling, a problem area identified by an official in a blog posting which has aroused national indignation.

Li Ou, vice mayor of Siping City in northeast China's Jilin province, triggered heated discussion with a blog article on the country's flawed ticket selling system.

China's tourism authority says the number of inbound tourists has dropped for three consecutive months

Authorities tried to use the Beijing Olympics to boost the industry, but the financial crisis has hampered the plan. Most foreign visitors to China come from the United States, Europe and Japan all hit hard by the crisis.

Tong Lei, Chairman of China Int'l Travel Service, said, "From what we know, consumer confidence keeps declining in markets like the United States and Europe. This has put significant pressure on our business."

Jiang Jiannig, CEO of China Youth Travel Service, said, "Economies in major western countries have entered a period of recession. I think the real impact on China's tourism will only truly appear in the first half of 2009."