Tour agencies urge end to Philippine travel alert

Travel agencies yesterday called on the Hong Kong government to lift the black travel alert on the Philippines that has been in place since last year's deadly siege in Manila of a bus carrying Hong Kong tourists.

The alert - the highest of the three levels on the government's travel-warning system - has halted all tour-group travel from Hong Kong to the country and jeopardised some businesses, the agencies said. The alert was posted hours after seven Hong Kong tourists and their guide were killed on the bus by sacked policeman Rolando Mendoza in August last year.

The Philippine Department of Tourism is launching a campaign to rebrand Manila and the country's more than 7,000 islands as a 'must-experience destination in Asia'. The campaign will include familiarisation tours for government officials and tour agencies to restore confidence in the country.

More than 60 representatives from travel agencies, airlines and hotels were briefed on the campaign yesterday. Many said the most important issue was to get the black travel alert lifted as soon as possible.

'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. He suggested the government could lift the warning in stages, beginning with a few islands.

Tse Chi-kin, elder brother of slain tour guide Masa Tse Ting-chunn, said he opposed lifting the warning before the Philippines had taken remedial action.