Price hikes hinder travelers to Hong Kong
18/9/2003 17:00
Price hikes on airfares and accommodations have reduced Shanghai
travelers to Hong Kong and Macau in the coming National Day holiday, with only
40 percent of package tours to the two places booked to date, the Shanghai
Morning Post reported today.
A package tour to Hong Kong in the coming
National Day holiday is generally priced 20 percent more than a year
before.
A tour to Hong Kong (five days and four nights) living in three-star
hotels is priced up to 4,380 yuan (US$528) for the National Day holiday,
according to the Shanghai China Travel Service's Hong Kong and Macau
department.
Hotel accommodation costs in Hong Kong generally increased by 50
percent, and airfares to Hong Kong also rose by 100 percent.
Only 300 or 400
locals signed up for a tour to Hong Kong and Macau to date, only half of the
figure last year, according to the Shanghai China Youth Travel Service.
In
order to win back the customers, the travel agencies in Hong Kong that receive
domestic travelers slashed prices by 100-500 yuan, but they are still
experiencing a cold market reaction.
Most travelers have already signed up
for other itineraries such as Japanese tour priced at more than 5,000 yuan or a
South Korean tour, said an industry analyst.
A relaxed policy for Chinese
travelers going to Hong Kong had expected to attract a growing number of
visitors in the weeklong holiday, but the soaring tour costs have prevented many
locals from going there, the analyst said.
Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news
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