Vigilance urged as travel peak nears

By Wang Qian in Beijing and Wang Hongyi in Shanghai (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-04-30 09:39

China yesterday urged local governments to be on full alert, warning that the country will be more vulnerable to swine flu during the busy May holiday travel boom.

"Travel agencies, hotels, scenic spots, and tour buses and ferries should strengthen sanitation and take precautions to deal with a possible epidemic," the National Tourism Administration (NTA) cautioned on its website.

A pork vendor, holding up a piece of meat, tries to lure customers at a wet market in Beijing Wednesday April 29, 2009. [China Daily/Wang Jing]

Mainland tourism departments must be on duty 24 hours a day and maintain close contact with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan -- three major sources of overseas travelers, the NTA said.

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The move came one day after China restricted travel to Mexico, the country at the center of the outbreak.

Zhang Shuo, manager of the marketing department at China International Travel Services, said yesterday the agency has stopped organizing tours to Mexico.

But foreign tourists continue to enter China, Zhang said.

Chinese tourists returning from flu-hit areas and foreign tourists arriving in China from impacted areas have not caused any problems so far, the NTA said yesterday.

The Shanghai tourism bureau said three Shanghai tourists are still in Mexico and 437 are in the United States. They have been urged to wear masks and contact Chinese embassies if they develop flu symptoms.

Gu Xiaoyuan, vice-director of the Beijing tourism bureau, said yesterday: "There will be two tour groups from Mexico to Beijing in the coming month, members of which will be examined."

Swine flu is suspected in the deaths of more than 150 people in Mexico and the US and has spread to New Zealand, Israel, Canada, the UK and Spain.

Chinese tour agencies became increasingly concerned after Asian countries including Thailand and South Korea reported suspected cases.

"Some tourists cancelled their trips to the United States and Canada," Zhang said.

Cong Ling, manager of the US marketing department with China Travel Service said many people phoned for information on the virus.

"Our business depends on what's going to happen. If the outbreak affects China, our business will be badly hurt," she said.

A huanqiu.com survey showed more than 90 percent of 15,331 respondents were worried that the virus may spread to China.

Officials from Pudong International Airport said passengers from flu-hit regions will be screened.

Anyone whose temperature exceeds 37.5 C will be sent to the Shanghai Public Health Center for further checks.