Businesses brace for H1N1 impact

SHANGHAI: While confirmed human cases of influenza A (H1N1) have not been found on the mainland so far, the business community here is preparing for the worst and introducing precautions against the potential outbreak of the disease.

Travel agencies and hotels have been among the hardest-hit sectors of the business community and many in Shanghai are now beefing up their hygiene management and emergency controls to ensure the safety of customers after experiencing a drop in bookings.

According to Zhou Yinfeng, general manager of the outbound division of Shanghai CYTS Tours Corporation, about 10 percent of outbound tourists have cancelled their trips in the past three days, citing the virus as their main concern.