HK travel ban to Phl opposed

MANILA, Philippines - Hong Kong travel agents disagree with the “black travel alert” against the Philippines and want it lifted immediately, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported yesterday.

DOT said Hong Kong travel agents expressed their desire for the lifting of the travel alert during a meeting with Philippine tourism officials a few weeks ago.

“Many of the agents said that they remain confident and optimistic about tourism in the Philippines and that they will go full blast with their promotions once the alert is lifted,” the DOT said in a statement.

A team of DOT officials and local travel agents flew to Hong Kong recently to conduct a seminar with travel agents and start selling the country again as a tourist destination.

Assistant Secretary Benito Bengzon Jr., who headed the delegation, provided updates on the country’s major destinations including Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Boracay, Palawan, and Clark.

DOT said the seminar and presentation in Hong Kong attracted around 78 decision-makers from travel agencies that have been selling the Philippines, while the one in Macau drew about 36 partners from the travel trade.

Among those who attended the Hong Kong event were top officers of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, the influential umbrella organization of travel companies in Hong Kong.

“The primary objective (of the seminar) is to reconnect with our partners from the Hong Kong and Macau travel trade and reaffirm the country’s position as a safe, enjoyable and attractive short-haul destination for their clients, ” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said.

Newly appointed marketing representative of DOT for Hong Kong and Macau David Leung said visitor arrivals from the former British colony to the Philippines only went down by 20 percent despite the travel alert.

“This means about 80 percent still believe that the country is a peaceful and fun destination,” he said.

The Hong Kong government imposed a black travel alert that restricted travel agents from selling the Philippines as destination in the wake of the bloody hostage taking incident that ended with eight tourists dead in August last year.

Jimenez said the DOT at this time is now laying the groundwork for a familiarization tour to the Philippines for top executives of selected travel agencies in Hong Kong.

DOT said the tour is part of continuing government efforts to present the country as a safe and competitive destination, and convince concerned authorities that the Philippines should be removed from the “black alert.”