In the wake of Monday's Manila hostage crisis, which left eight Hong Kong tourists killed and several others injured, the Philippines has become a "condemned" country for tourists from the SAR as well as several major cities on the mainland. The travel business has plummeted as a result.
The Philippine Airlines (PA) said the number of cancellations of tickets has shot up ever since the SAR government issued a black alert. Its Hong Kong office reported cancellations of 558 bookings on Manila-bound flights on Tuesday alone. Those who chose to abandon their trips to the Philippines include people from Hong Kong, Beijing, Xiamen and several other places on the mainland.
"We share the shock and grief of the people of Hong Kong. At the same time, we are monitoring the situation and will decide on whether we should cut the number of flights," said Dina May Flores, the airline's country manager of Hong Kong, Macao and Southwest China Friday. However, Hong Kong Travel Industry Council chief Micheal Wu told China Daily Friday that the impact of the black alert is insignificant for the number of travel groups to the Philippines doesn't matter much in their entire operation. "In all, 28 travel groups (540 tourists) that planned to visit the Philippines on or before September 9 had been suspended," he added.
In major cities on the mainland, the mood is fraught with sadness and anger. Few are willing to step into a country where eight of their compatriots were killed and several injured.
A man surnamed Shao, consultant of BTG International Travel & Tours, told China Daily that almost all travel agencies in Beijing have suspended their Philippines travel business since August 24.
"Clients' safety and sentiments is our chief concern. The Chinese feel very sad and angry," Shao explained. The agency in normal times organizes tours to the Philippines for three to four groups each consisting of not fewer than 30 people. "We charge 4,780 yuan for each person. We are suffering a significant financial loss (as a result of the sudden cancellation)," Shao said.
Travel agencies in Shanghai also face a similar situation. A woman surnamed Tang, who works with Shanghai China Travel Limited, told China Daily that the Philippines does not figure in tourists' scheme of things now.
Till May this year, the Philippines received some 1,188,791 foreign tourists. Of them, 10.2 percent were either from the mainland or from Hong Kong. According to website of the Philippnines Department of Tourism, Chinese constitute the third largest among tourists from East Asian countries.
Though the PA's Hong Kong office didn't disclose clearly how much loss it has suffered as a result of cancellations, the manager admitted that the negative travel advisories have hit the company hard in terms of business. "Our employees are extremely concerned," he said.