Almost all the hotels and restaurants maintain in slack season. The ripple effects are also spreading to airports, railways and highways. China's travel and tourism industries have been particularly badly affected by SARS. According to a WHO travel advisory against many Chinese regions, China is set to lose a quarter of its tourism receipts and a fifth (or 2.8 million) of its tourism jobs. Not only that, some Asian areas or even the whole world are affected. Vietnam is expected to lose 15% of its tourism-industry income this year, Singapore 43% and Hong Kong 41%, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Economists at the Asian Development Bank recon that SARS may cost the reign $28 billion in lost economic output this year. Both American Airlines and United Airlines have blamed SARS for recent weak demand. On May 8th, the Four Seasons luxury hotel group announced a first-quarter loss and said that SARS had hit occupancy rates throughout Asia.
International censures, rumors and panic.
We are suffering from SARS, but don't forget SARS is an infectious disease, that makes China be a big fly among international counterparts. As mentioned above, some foreign firms have already closed their offices in China or ordered expatriate employees to return home. Many countries have tightened the tour and immigration procedures or regulations especially for Chinese people. China has been accused of totalitarian control, blocking the passage of information, withholding the true figures and irresponsible for the plague over the world. Of course, some of the criticisms, which based upon realities, are undeniable. However, some of them are vicious attacks and deliberate slanders. Furthermore, domestic rumors are everywhere now in China. National wide, police have detained 105 people in 17 provinces and major cities on charges of spreading rumors. In Beijing, a man was detained May 3 after posting a comment online saying that 400 people had died of SARS in a city.
A large international coalition exists including such countries as Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, etc. that have aided in its successful run. ... However, no advancements are without their backlashes; although the study of human genetics may lead to the cure of devastating diseases such as AIDS and more recently SARS, it is not without its share of ethical and legal issues. ...
