yes, the first time visitors are unlikely to get a multiple entry visa, but you can have a try and write your planned itinerary on the Visa Application. If your itinerary is Hong Kong, Macau and Tibet, you just need a single entry tourist visa to Mainland China because you just enter Mainland China once, Hk and Macau are regarded as foreign territory in Visa Regulations, they apply different Exit & Enter controls from Mainland China.