Bangkok still popular despite travel warning
Another 11 tour groups, comprising more than 100 people, are leaving for Bangkok today amid strong demand for travel to the popular destination despite a government warning about personal safety.
Hong Thai Travel Services general manager Susanna Lau Mei-sze said on RTHK that only six out of more than 600 customers, who had booked its tours to Bangkok, had pulled out because of concerns about recent protests in the Thai capital. Lau said the decision to go ahead with the tours despite the government warning would give customers greater choice. Although the situation in Bangkok did not appeared to have worsened, tour itineraries would be adjusted if any planned visits were affected by protests, she said.
Members of the Hong Kong Travel Industry (Outbound) Tour Escort and Tour Guide Union said continuing to halt these tours would hurt the livelihood of tour guides.
The Travel Industry Council allowed tours to Bangkok to resume from yesterday after being suspended since March 11.
But the government has not lowered or dropped its red outbound travel alert on Bangkok since March 10. A red alert means people in Hong Kong planning to travel there should adjust their plans, while those already there should avoid protests and large crowds.
The council will keep in close contact with the Security Bureau and travel agents on developments in Bangkok.
