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Travel agents call for an end to Philippines travel ban
Oct 21, 2011, 6:59 GMT
Hong Kong - Travel agents have called for the Hong Kong government to end its ban on travel to the Philippines imposed after eight Hong Kong people were killed last year, a media report said Friday.
The tour firms said the ban had jeopardised their business, the South China Morning Post said.
The government imposed a black travel alert on the Philippines last August when seven Hong Kong tourists and their tour guide where killed after their tour bus was hijacked in Manila by a former policeman. The alert means no tour groups can visit the Philippines although individual travel is still allowed.
Calls for the ban to end were made during the launch of a campaign by the Philippines Department of Tourism to restore confidence in the country as a tourist destination.
'The tragedy was a one-off incident,' said Thomas So, general manager of Planet Holiday. 'Had it not involved Hong Kong people, I don't think the reaction would have been so strong.'
Planet Holiday's business had halved since the tragedy, So said.
But Tse Chi-kin, elder brother of slain tour guide Masa Tse Ting-chunn, said he opposed lifting the warning.
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