Vietnam tourists in Hong Kong unfazed by protests: travel agencies
Vietnam tourists in Hong Kong unfazed by protests: travel agencies
The ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong have not had an impact on the itineraries of Vietnamese tourists vacationing in the special administrative region, Vietnam’s tour organizers said Monday.
Saigontourist and Vietravel, two of the leading travel agencies in Ho Chi Minh City, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that they currently have two groups of tourists in Hong Kong.
But the tour organizers keep their tour guides and customers in frequent contact, they said.
The two firms added that their tourists only visit shopping and tourism destinations, rather than enter the downtown area, where tens of thousands of protesters have taken control of major streets and intersections.
Few customers have called the travel agencies to ask about the situation in Hong Kong or cancel their booked packages there, they said.
The protests in Hong Kong stem from China's decision last month to allow Hong Kong voters to elect their leaders based on a list of candidates pre-approved by Beijing.
While it was previously agreed that the people of Hong Kong would be able to elect their own head official – the chief executive – democratically in 2017, Beijing backflipped in August 2014, saying the elected chief executive would have to be approved by a Beijing-loyal committee, which would likely rule out opposition democratic candidates, according to newswire Mashable.
Hong Kongers then took to the streets on September 24 to oppose the decision. The protests have hit banks, travel, and business in Asia’s financial center ever since.
Hong Kong’s shares tumbled Monday, and the local dollar hit a six-month low against the greenback, according to AFP.
The protests brought parts of the city to a standstill, with many schools, businesses, and banks shut down.
AFP quoted New York-based advisory firm JL Warren Capital as saying that Hong Kong-listed retailers and local and Macanese tourism businesses would be hurt the most by the protests.
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