Philippine Tourism Industry Braces For Fallout Due To Hong Kong ....

Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines (AHN) - The Philippine tourism industry is bracing for fallout following the Hong Kong bus hostage incident in which eight Hong Kong residents died.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong issued a travel advisory cautioning residents from going to the Philippines.

Besides raising the alert level for travelers from the Crown Colony to black from amber alert, the travel advisory suspends travel insurance coverage for Manila-bound passengers.

Reports from hotels and an airlines are receiving booking cancellations from Hong Kong tourists.

Philippine Travel Agencies Association President Paz Alberto confirmed some Hong Kong tourists canceled their hotel reservations, but declined to provide details of which hotels are affected and how many cancellations were made.

Alberto raised the possibility that some of the cancellations made may just involve a transfer to other hotels where guests may feel safer.

Two groups of Hong Kong tourists canceled their PAL bookings for September to October when they learned their Manila trip would not be covered by their travel insurance.

PAL , which is already reeling from a pilot shortage and a possible cabin crew strike, said it expects a drop in tourist arrivals from Hong Kong. However, PAL said it would continue to service its 10 daily flights to Hong Kong.

Cebu Pacific, the second Philippine air carrier with five daily trips to Hong Kong, said it received rebooking requests for less than five percent of their 1,900 daily passengers bound for the Crown Colony.

Britain, said despite the bus hostage incident, the U.K. will not issue a travel advisory to its residents bound for the Philippinesb but included a reference to the bus hostage crisis in the text of its travel advisory.

France, has not banned its citizens from traveling to Manila. However, the French government cautioned its nationals to be extra vigilant when in the Philippines.

Sourced=allheadlinenews