Travel Industry Needs Immediate Aid: Council Head

The Travel Industry Council has warned many local businesses in the sector are teetering on the brink of collapse and need immediate financial assistance from the government.

The council's chairman, Jason Wong, said though the government had paid subsidies to travel establishments aimed at preventing job losses and sustaining the sector during the pandemic, they will still need more help as tourism activities are unlikely to rebound this year.

“The situation is very critical. Sooner or later agents will also consider whether to stay in the industry or not. The situation is getting more and more worse in the coming months and the relief measures are needed immediately,“ said Wong.

He said many employees who used to work in tourism and travel-related jobs have now left the sector to look for jobs elsewhere.

When the pandemic situation eased during May-June, some agents had promoted local tourism but the resurgence of virus cases in July has put paid to that, he said.

The council head said he doesn’t expect the sector to bounce back by the first quarter or even second quarter of next year.

Wong said the situation may be eased if the authorities set up travel bubbles – where travel restrictions are eased within designated areas – and adopt a 'health code' system to allow verified Covid-negative travellers free access to various places.

But until a vaccine is found, international travel returning back to normal is difficult, he told RTHK’s Candice Wong.

Many businesses hit hard by the pandemic restrictions have urged the government to roll out a third round of relief under its HK$30 billion Anti-Epidemic fund.

But Financial Secretary Paul Chan had warned last month that "endless government assistance and relief cannot be a long-term option".