Hong Kong hotel occupancy rate down more than 20% industry plans to save

Hong Kong, May 17 (a) the SARS-infected tourists plummeted, the hotel's huge impact, check out the situation is serious. The Executive Director-General of the Federation of Hotel owners, Mr Li, said in a radio programme that the Hong Kong hotel occupancy rate had fallen by more than 20% per cent and the 5-star hotel occupancy rate was less than 50% per cent, which was more severe than the SARS outbreak in 2003. The industry has drawn up plans to help itself, including with airlines to launch travel packages before the end of this month, targeting tourists.　　He also suggested that the Government should follow the SARS period by providing low-interest loans to the industry, and could also consider "sending money" directly to the tourism sector to help the industry tide over the difficulties. Hong Kong's tourism industry has seen double-digit declines since the global financial tsunami last year, and the hotel industry is also very grim. Mr Li, executive Director-General of the Federation of Hotel owners, said that hotel reservations and prices were down by 20% or more this month compared with a year earlier, and that the hotel was out of serious condition, with the average occupancy rate of 5 star hotels less than 50%. "No matter 5 star, 4 star or 3 star hotel, no one has been spared the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, and fewer tours have been made to Hong Kong," he said. "(Li Haiyuan)