It's peak season for Swedes who want to travel to the warmth of Southeast Asia. At the same time, the number of people infected with the coronavirus is rising daily. But few travelers seem worried.
So far, the majority of those infected with the coronavirus have been found in China, but two cases of the infection have also been confirmed in Thailand, where many holidaymakers are heading. Two cases have been registered in Vietnam.
According to Adam Györki, press officer at TUI, which flies to Thailand and Vietnam, among other places, the company is not yet affected by the virus outbreak.
”"We have received a couple of calls from customers wondering if it is something to consider or if it could be dangerous to travel to certain destinations. But we do not make that assessment, we listen to the Public Health Agency," he says.
There are currently no specific travel recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Sweden. However, it urges caution because it is in China and advises against staying in markets with live animals and being close to sick people. Should the situation change, Adam Györki believes that TUI will have the situation under control.
”"We have experienced similar situations several times, both with the Zika and SARS viruses, so we are of course ready to act. But as it stands now, no changes are being made and people are traveling as usual," says Adam Györki.
Freja Annamatz, press officer at SAS, has also not noticed any major concern among its passengers. In addition to China, SAS also flies to Japan, where one case of the coronavirus has been confirmed.
”"So far we haven't received many inquiries about this. But we are of course following developments closely," she says.
How airlines and travel agencies are handling the virus outbreak looks a little different. According to the Reuters news agency, Philippine Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and Japan Airlines are not seeing any decrease in bookings to or from China. However, South Korea's largest travel agency, Hanatour Service, reports that cancellations of trips to China have increased by 20 percent compared to the same time last year, while the Philippine low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific states that some travelers have expressed concern but have chosen not to cancel their trips.
Source: TT
