A German tour group of 11 travelers arrived in Lhasa, Tibet's capital, Saturday night to start a six-day tour of the region, the official Xinhua news agency reported late Saturday.

The news agency said that more than 500 foreign tourists were expected to visit the Himalayan region in April.

Authorities closed Tibet and adjacent areas during the anniversary of the March 1959 uprising that led to the exile of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader.

At the time, authorities announced it would reopen the region to overseas travelers on April 5.

The latest clampdown was the second time in a year that Tibet was closed to foreign tourists.

The central government banned travelers from going to Tibet immediately after riots erupted in Lhasa and neighboring regions in March last year, on the uprising's 49th anniversary.