Hong Kong travel agents have been condemned for continuing to send tourists to a 'war zone' yesterday despite escalating government advice against going.
At least 300 travellers in 10 groups organised by Hong Thai Travel Services and EGL Tours headed to Bangkok in the morning, and those who opted out were told they would not get a refund. Many chose to fly, even though it was unlikely they would be covered by travel insurance.
The Travel Industry Council, which represents the agencies, said operators would lose out if they scrapped tours and refunded travellers. Its executive director, Joseph Tung Yao-chung, said: 'The airport in Bangkok has not closed and flights to Bangkok have remained normal. The airlines and the hotels there would not refund us for not going.'
Democratic Party lawmaker Kam Nai-wai was angered by the council's explanation, saying: 'It is ridiculously cold-blooded. The agencies were actually sending our people to a war zone. Did they not know that the army had opened fire?'
Legislator Chan Kam-lam, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said he appreciated the difficulties travel agencies faced but said travellers should also be responsible.
'Having no refund is one thing, but a traveller can weigh the risks and is free to judge whether his life is more important than the money they may lose,' he said.