A survey indicates many travel advisers are willing to relax travel
restrictions on Hong Kong tour if no new
SARS
cases are reported for ten consecutive days, the Hong Kong Hotels
Association (HKHA) said Thursday.
The industry specific survey was conducted among 100 experienced
Hong Kong-based overseas travel advisers and decision makers from
leading multinational companies and travel agents to understand the
expectations of the traveling public, the HKHA said.
According to the survey, some 41 percent of respondents said they
would give a "yes" advice immediately if World Health Organization
(WHO) lifts its travel advisory on Hong Kong; Another 42 percent of
the respondents said that they would relax travel restrictions if
there were no new SARS cases for ten consecutive days.
The WHO has said its conditions are: new cases to have fallen to
below five a day, and active cases to 60; no exports of cases; and
the mode of transmission to be understood.
"The result of the survey is encouraging and it tells us that the
timing of our recovery is on the horizon. We must be well prepared
for this," said Mark Lettenbichler, chairman of the HKHA.
The survey has also given pointers to what Hong Kong hotels can do
now and after SARS to win back the confidence of international
travelers.
Some 76 percent of the respondents said that hygiene would give
them more confidence in advising their clients to travel to Hong
Kong.
"The Association will take increased action to enhance
communication regarding the additional hygiene efforts that have
been put in place to reinforce guest confidence," said
Lettenbichler.
Lettenbichler said that the HKHA has been taking additional steps
to further improve international travelers' confidence by
recommending member hotels to take body temperatures of hotel staff
every day.
"We believe that temperature checks will give a greater sense of
safety and hygiene to guests staying in our hotels," Lettenbichler
said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2003)